Why You Should Say NO to a Counteroffer

By Robert Half February 1, 2017 at 5:00pm

It's not a good idea to accept a counteroffer from your current employer when you've already accepted an offer with another employer. That's not just true for finance and accounting professionals. It's universal.

As tempting as it may be to jump at a salary increase and additional employee perks at a new firm, sticking with your current position when you've been given a counteroffer can lead to more problems than if you were to get a new start. Despite your employer's seemingly genuine attempt to keep you as a valuable member of the team, that worth could diminish quickly if you decide to stay on.


In a new Robert Half survey, 58 percent of senior managers across a variety of professional fields said they extended counteroffers to keep employees from leaving for another job.

The downside of 'almost' leaving



It may be only a matter of time

What may appear to be a sweet deal could actually be just a temporary solution on your employer's end. There's a chance the company is only offering you more favorable terms until it can find someone else who can take over your responsibilities. Once your employer locates a replacement to fill your role, you may be expendable.

The survey also shows that employees who accept counteroffers typically stay only two more years at the company.

Are you worried about being seen as a job-hopper? There are some benefits to making successive career moves.

How much were you really worth?

 Considering the fact you had to accept another offer to get more favorable terms with your employer, your value may not have been truly recognized. If your employer noticed your talents as a necessary part of your accounting firm's team, you would have been able to negotiate long ago for any additional perks.

Make sure you're up to date on the salary ranges for your position and in your region.

Rejecting a job offer could burn bridges



Putting your own needs first

When delivering a counteroffer, employers are more often concerned with fulfilling the company's own needs than they are improving your job satisfaction. To be fair, however, your company may have just been not paying attention and took it for granted that you were happy in your role. Still, you need to do what's necessary to get ahead in your career. Opt for the business that knows your worth.

Is it really all about the money?




5 Reasons to Think Twice About Extending a Salary Counteroffer Infographic


Senior managers across a variety of professional fields were asked, “Do you ever extend counteroffers to employees to keep them from leaving for another job?”

58% said YES

Senior managers were also asked, “How long do employees who accept counteroffers typically remain with your company?”

The average response was: less than 2 years

Those who extended counteroffers were asked why they’d want to retain an employee who is choosing to leave.

Top responses:*

  Don’t want to lose institutional knowledge of employee: 58%
  Don’t want to spend time or money hiring a replacement: 42%
  Don’t want rest of team to absorb extra workload: 35%
  Don’t want morale of team to suffer: 34%

*Multiple responses were permitted.

Source: Robert Half survey of more than 5,500 hiring decision makers in the United States across a variety of professional fields, including finance and accounting, technology, legal, advertising and marketing, and human resources.


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