5 reasons why you might regret accepting that counter offer

You’ve received a job offer. Congratulations! It’s a great job, and the company is a good fit. So you go to hand in your notice – and things get confusing and complicated. Your current company starts to fight for you, offering you more money, tempting you to stay. 

So what do you do next? Here are 5 reasons why you might just regret accepting a counter offer.

1. Your loyalty to the company might now be in question.

At the end of the day, you did attempt to resign – and the fact that you wanted to leave may raise questions about both your satisfaction in the role and your loyalty to the company. This can damage your relationship with your employer, and as a result your job security may now be at risk. When the time comes to make difficult decisions about cutbacks or redundancies, your company may begin with those seen as less loyal, and unfortunately, you may have secured yourself a place near the top of the list. 

2. The real issues won’t go away.

A good offer won’t fix other existing concerns you have about a workplace. Issues such as feeling underappreciated and restricted may well continue after you accept the counter offer, leading you to resign – this time for good.  You already had your reasons for quitting; a counter offer only temporarily addresses them because your employers want you to stay.  And while a better salary package may seem like a smart choice in the short-term, does it come at the cost of your long-term career development opportunities, project variety, or flexible working? 

3. Are your current employers stalling for time?

It’s absolutely worth considering that the counter offer might just be a temporary solution for your current employers, buying them time to source a new employee to replace you.

4. Consider where the extra money for a counter-offer has come from.

The money has come from somewhere, and given that many companies have strict salary guidelines, they may just be giving you your next raise early. After all, where was this money during your last performance review? And ask yourself, does it bode well for your ongoing  employer-employee relationship that you have to threaten to resign before you’re given what you are worth?

5. If you accept a counter offer after already accepting another position, you’ll be burning bridges with other companies.

This is a practice that’s looked upon very poorly, and won’t reflect very well on you professionally. It’ll damage your relationship with both the other company involved and your recruiter – as a result you’ll lose out on future opportunities, as well as showing all three parties that you can be bought.

Rejecting a counter offer

Rejecting a counter offer doesn’t have to mean the end of a positive relationship with your previous employer. Decline gracefully – be grateful, thank them for their offer. Clearly communicate your next steps, and leave them in a strong position. If you maintain a positive relationship, it keeps the door open for future opportunities.

Here at Climate17, we do understand it can be challenging to come to a final decision. If you need a trusted ear, more information about your potential new employer or to discuss the pros and cons, speak to your recruiter – our experienced team are here to help you make the best choice for your personal and professional growth. 

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