This sounds like every employee’s dream. You have accepted an offer of employment with a new company. You like the company, you like their benefits, and best of all, you like your new salary. It’s all good—until you go in and tell your boss you have accepted another job and you are leaving in two weeks.
Your boss asks you, “How much more are they paying you?” On average, people leave their current company for approximately a five percent increase. But, as long as your boss is asking, you decide to tell him it is significantly more pay. Your boss says, “What is significant? 10 percent? 15 percent?” You respond by saying that it’s in that range. Your boss then responds, “Don’t tell anyone you’re resigning just yet, I think I can get the gods in power to match that offer.” Later that afternoon, your boss comes to you and says, “I have great news. We can match their offer by increasing your salary by 15 percent. So you’ll stay, right?”
So, now what do you do?
Although every situation is different, generally, we recommend that employees don’t accept or counter an offer for continued employment for the following reasons:
It’s not really about the money: Statistically, most people do not leave organizations just for more money. In our surveys, we find that people leave organizations far more often because they have a bad boss, they are bored with their job, they have little autonomy or empowerment, their department lacks teamwork, they don’t feel valued, they have no work-life balance, and/or the company’s values are not in alignment with the individual’s personal values. Even with more money, the reason you were leaving will still be there if you accept the counter offer. How much money would make it worthwhile to work for an ass?
