UNCERTAIN ABOUT THAT COUNTEROFFER?

Have you been thinking of leaving your job for a much better one? You are not alone. Many employees think and feel the same way. The moment you decide, you start searching for greener pastures. 

You discreetly apply and when you are chosen, the new company offers you a much better path for your career. 

This is when you write and submit your resignation letter. Thinking that your boss would just let you go without a fuss, you’re surprised when your boss starts talking about a counteroffer. It seems appealing, but should you take it?

It is not a simple question to answer. 

Based on a recent survey, about 40% of HR department heads and chief executives say that accepting a current employer’s counteroffer is not a good idea but, in times of candidate marketplace, may be a reasonable solution. 

Most believe that while accepting a counter offer, in many cases it will still affect your career in a negative way.

 Be that as it may, 80% of HR superiors and 78% of chief officers stated that it is sometimes favorable to say yes to the counteroffer.

 Yet, no one can determine the circumstances that signal for employees to accept. If such instances are possible, they are rarely the same. 

One cannot disagree that such counteroffers happen in today’s corporate life. Counteroffers continue to rise in the past years, though there are no statistical data to confirm it.

As these offers are given, they only manufacture stress for everyone involved. Employers know that there is always extreme competition among companies for exceptional and experienced talent. The employees who resign are often tempted by that counteroffer the didn’t even imagine. If you are experiencing the same thing, below are some tips to help you deal with your situation:

1.  Think about your reason for leaving. When your boss becomes aware of your intention to leave the company, money is usually the starting topic of the conversation. In a new study showed that accepting a counteroffer based solely on salary differed among the participants. Several company heads stated that money as a reason for leaving is always acceptable. Others debated that it should not be the only reason for resigning. Employees who strongly believe that they are underpaid has no other reason to leave the company. Because of this, employers do not make counteroffers. They do not want other employees to threaten to leave so they could get a raise. 

2.  Reflect on the possible consequences of saying yes. Almost 60% of HR heads and 80% of executives said that the company’s reputation is compromised and trust is betrayed among company members and executives when a resignee accepts the counteroffer. The same happens to the company turned down. Also, 67% of the HR heads and 71% of the chief executives said that the current company’s higher-ups would end up questioning the employee’s loyalty if he or she stays.

3.  Know the track record of accepting counteroffers. Accepting the employer’s counteroffer doesn’t work well in 95% of all cases. When it does work, it would only be for a short while but eventually, the employee would leave anyway. 

4.  Wait for your employer’s response. The reaction to your resignation letter is something you should anticipate. If your boss tells you that they have been contemplating giving you a much better career level that comes with a higher compensation, you should reconsider your decision. Ask yourself if you truly believe that the position was something they would give you soon if you do not leave, reconsider. But if you think that this is just a move to keep employees in the company, do not accept the counteroffer. 

5.  Heed advice. When uncertainty still bothers you, you should ask for wise advice from a person you see as your mentor. Perhaps your mentor could help you decide. But if you are truly convinced that your reasons are good enough, you will be able to say “no” to the counteroffers (real or fake), which are not going to work at all. 

Talking to your employer about your resignation should be a level conversation.

 Your boss should be a trustworthy person who wants the best for you and your career. If your employer reacts with resentment, then his would be a stronger reason for you to leave. The anger would only prove that your working relationship is not good at all. 

Before you decide to leave your company, make sure that you have truly thought about it and that you stick to it. Discern, decide, and then move on if it is going to benefit your career and your future. 

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