Reasons for NOT Accepting a Counter Offer

By Mark McIntosh

My experience and statistics indicate that if you accept a counter offer, the likelihood of your leaving or being fired within six to twelve months is very high. Generally speaking, a counter offer is usually based around a pay increase.  Is money really going to solve the reason you were looking in the first place? Probably not. If the counter offer is based to address some other reason for leaving than money (e.g. work-life balance concerns), the probability of working out might be greater.

Let's say you decide to accept a counter offer for additional pay. What happens if your company takes a downturn? Who do you think they will get rid of first? The loyal worker that never complained, or the person that complained, played hard-ball and got more money to stay? Probably the latter.

Another negative consequence is when your co-workers hear of your counter offer. They will likely lose respect for you and their trust level of you will diminish. This leads to a very awkward situation.

And by the way, what type of company do you work for if you have to threaten to leave before they give you what you are worth?