Why You Should Never Accept The Deadly Counter Offer
As recruitment consultants, we see this situation quote often. Candidate has an excellent CV, is well qualified and has a great level of experience. In their current role, they are overworked, underpaid and generally unappreciated with little or no chance of any sort of career advancement. They come to us, we find them a fantastic role, better paid and with real career development opportunities and they get the job. And then? They get a counter offer from their current employer. They’re now in two minds.
The current employer makes all sorts of promises that they’re salary will increase, working conditions will improve and they’ll ensure that more training and development opportunities are in place. Unfortunately, some people choose to take them up on this offer but the fact is that in 80% of these cases, they are looking to leave their employment again within just three months. Why? Because generally if things get that bad that you want to leave, they won’t get any better with all the promises in the world.
If you’ve been made a counter offer, here are the factors you need to consider:
Your loyalty is now in question
As soon as you hand your resignation in, you are in effect alerting your employer to the fact that you are unhappy and want to work elsewhere. Sure, by accepting a counteroffer things might improve in the short term but what about in the long term? Chances are your career development now will be severely limited and the fact that you wanted to leave will always linger in your manager’s mind and this could have severe future implications. Whilst they once may have seen you as an employee who will always be here, your loyalty is now in question.
Will your relationship with colleague’s change?
Some of your colleagues may understand why you wanted to leave, other may not. This could cause gossip. Are you getting ideas above your station? Do you dislike all the other members of staff? These sorts of comments may not be out of spite but can often be down to feeling a bit let down that you wanted to leave the team. There may also be musings as to what made you change your mind. Has the management offered you better terms and conditions than them? Accepting a counter offer and remaining in post can have devastating consequences for the relationship with your colleagues.
Are you happy being bought?
It’s human nature to resist change sometimes, and that can make it easy to simply forego you exciting new job and remain in your old one, albeit with potentially better terms and conditions. But ask yourself: Why are they making this offer now? Why could they not pay you more before this or make your terms and conditions better? Are they just offering you this to give them time to train your replacement? Be honest with yourself and look at the possibilities of what could happen if you stay, and if you were to leave.
If you’ve made the decision to leave a poor job and have managed to secure yourself an exciting new role, then be brave and look to the future with optimism. In our experience, staying and accepting a counter offer nearly always ends in tears.
