Pecking Order

pecking order - the social hierarchy in a flock of domestic fowl in which each bird pecks subordinate birds and submits to being pecked by dominant birds; a hierarchy among a group, as of people, classes, or nations

A researcher had said two years ago that China would become the No 2 in the world's economic pecking order in 2018.

Martin is quite high in the pecking order these days.

To clamber up the pecking order, he slaves away nights and weekends at the office.

There's a clearly established pecking order in this office.

He started as a clerk but gradually rose in the pecking order.