The situation
You’re not satisfied at your current job, so you start applying for interviews with companies that spark your interest. You’re in a strong position because you already have a job, so you pick and choose between them at your leisure. Eventually, one interview stands out from the rest. You could imagine yourself slotting into the company quite comfortably. You like the culture; you feel confident because you have the right skills and the salary boost is the cherry on the cake. You go to your current employer and fill them in on the big news. Their response is to smack a juicy counter-offer down on the table! What do you do?
There is no denying that there is something exquisitely delicious about the counter-offer. You feel empowered and appreciated, finally! But don’t let your emotions make this significant life decision for you. There are a few tricky pitfalls to watch out for when you are presented with a counter-offer.
3 counter-offer pitfalls to watch out for
1. Remember why you wanted to leave in the first place
80% of people who accept a counter-offer still end up moving on after 12 months. That is a high percentage, but not that surprising. When the counter-offer comes your way, you need to be clear about why you want to move on.
If you are leaving your job because you dread going to work every single morning, cannot stand the people you work with, hate your boss and feel like the culture is inhibiting your performance, an increase in salary is not going to fix any of this. In this case, you should BEWARE of the counter-offer. When your happiness is at stake, you have to make like The Beatles and “Follow the sun…”
2. Damaged employer/employee relationship
Let’s say you accept the counter-offer and go back to work next day like normal. What kind of relationship do you have with your employer now? Although you may believe that professionally nothing has changed and, therefore, there should be no ill will, people are human. By threatening to leave you have declared your lack of loyalty to the company and this won’t be forgotten. Unless you work in a dog-eat-dog culture where fickle friends are the name of the game, the average employer is going to be a bit miffed.
If this is a real possibility in your particular employee/employer relationship, then you need to think strategically. Some people accept the counter-offer because they believe it will put them in a better position to negotiate salary at their next interview. However, considering the high percentage of people who leave the job within 12 months anyway, chances are you will be asking for a work reference fairly soon. If a reference from your last job is requested then you are risking the resurfacing of bad blood at the worst possible time!
3. A now toxic work environment
Sad to say but not all of your work colleagues are going to be happy for you if you accept the counter-offer. A common outcome from this scenario is deep-seated resentment. If a colleague feels as though they have more or equal experience to you, then they will expect a salary increase as well. Perhaps they request a meeting with the boss to close the pay gap, but are told that the company cannot afford an increase in two salaries at the moment. The unfairness of the situation, although not your fault, can breed a toxic work environment for everyone involved. Is it any wonder people leave their jobs so soon after accepting a counter-offer?
If you are considering a change in jobs purely because of the salary, the best advice we can give you is to have an open discussion with your employer about your career progression. At least then when you do decide to leave it won’t be interpreted as a threat but rather an informed decision made for explicitly understood reasons. If they offer you a counter-offer at this point, then they must have thought you were bluffing. Do you want to return to an employer who doesn’t take your needs seriously when you express them? That’s up to you!
