Why You Shouldn’t Accept That Counter-Offer

By LISA SWAN

Let’s suppose you are doing great at your current place of employment, but you decide to look for another job and get an even better job offer from another company. This new job involves more money and a promotion. When you tell your boss about the job offer, and try to give your notice, the two of you talk about a counter-offer, where you would get more money and maybe a promotion from your current job.

Sounds great, right? Well, you might not want to take that counter-offer. Here’s why. You most likely will be gone soon anyway. Statistically, 80 percent of the people who turn down a counter-offer end up not working for that company six months later. Some of them leave voluntarily, but others are fired.

So why do so many people end up working elsewhere anyway after turning down a counter-offer and staying with the company? Here are some reasons:

The bond of trust with your company may be broken

You would think that bosses would understand that considering going to work somewhere else is just business. You are just looking out for own best interests, the way they do. But many of them don’t or won’t understand. Now you may be perceived as disloyal to the business. After all, you went outside the company to look for another job.

You may have irritations building up against your boss

While you may initially be happy to get that generous counter-offer from your current employer, the fact that you had to nearly walk the door in order to get paid what you are deserved may weigh on you as time goes on. After all, why did you have to get another job offer in order to get a raise?

Your reputation as a team player can take a hit

The moment you tell your boss that you have received a job offer, you may no longer be seen as a true member of the team. That is doubly true if your co-workers find out that you nearly walked out the door.

Your employer may be buying time to find your replacement

Bosses want to have staff leave on their terms. While they did agree to keep you, they might also now be looking to find your replacement. Even if they don’t actively do so, you could be the first pushed out the door if there are layoffs at your company.

The reasons you thought about leaving in the first place are still there

If you were perfectly happy at your current job, you wouldn’t have been looking for another job in the first place. And chances are, you will be even more unhappy if you stay, despite getting extra money. In most cases, you are better off moving on to the new job than staying where you are. Sticking where you are could end up hurting your career.