Determinants of Job Promotion: The Effect of Job Performance and Seniority

Abstract

This study aims to examine the determinants of Job Promotion by analyzing the influence of Job Performance and Seniority among administrative staff at the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Sumatera Utara (FK USU). The study is motivated by the limited opportunities for job promotion within the faculty and pre-survey findings that revealed staff concerns regarding transparency and fairness in the promotion process. A quantitative causal-associative approach was employed using a census sampling technique involving all administrative staff at FK USU. Primary data were collected through a Likert-scale questionnaire and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS. The findings indicate that Job Performance and Seniority have positive and significant effects on Job Promotion. The research model explains 45.5% of the variance in Job Promotion (R² = 0.455). These findings provide practical implications for developing a more transparent and fair promotion system within higher-education institutions, emphasizing the importance of job performance and seniority in promotion decisions.