I'm reminded of a conversation on a forum a few decades ago about counter-offers. I work at company A. Company B makes an offer to hire me away, and I accept. Upon giving my notice, company A makes a counter-offer in order to keep me. The ensuing discussion involved a complaint that this shows something despicable about A:
*** What's so terrible about counters? - Bob Bridges - 12/10/98 - 01:26 I don't get all this unanimous antipathy toward counter-offers. I've never been in that position so I can't speak with authority, but surely they can be made with honest intent? which none of y'all seem to believe. If you've already accepted the competition's offer it would be wrong, of course; but if I'm only considering an offer, what's "immoral" about also considering a counter, if proffered one? *** Re: What's so terrible about counters? - RecruitingPro - 12/10/98 - 08:48 Think about it. You go into your boss and resign. Suddenly they offer you a promotion and/or more money. Now you're the best thing since sliced bread to the. Why didn't they offer you this stuff before you resigned. You basically had to hold a gun to their head to get it. Is that the kind of company you want to work for? What do you have to do to get another raise or promotion? *** Re: What's so terrible about counters? - Bob Bridges - 12/13/98 - 00:26 If I thought most other companies acted according to your principles, I'd cheerfully leave mine for another good offer. But I don't see any reason to believe that; it seems to me the company is exceptional that will keep its competition in mind ~before~ that competition starts stalking me. Therefore I expect the competition to act the same way, once it has me. Does this mean companies are heartless? Well, sure, I think so; companies aren't people, and ~can't~ have a heart. I needn't hate them for it; might as well despise a lake for not caring whether I swim or drown in it. But I ~like~ to swim, and I don't expect of a lake something that isn't in its nature. Nor do I expect a company to feel an obligation to take care of me; that's my job. The few companies that pay their people well, year after year -- they do exist, I hear -- probably owe their behavior to some ~person~ at a critical position of authority, able to act out her own beliefs against the natural tendencies of organizations. Or more than one person, more than likely, which is why companies like this are the exception. Aren't they? --- Bob Bridges, robhbrid...@gmail.com, cell 336 382-7313 /* ...And in a true Latin American news item, the United States, which imports and consumes the vast majority of the world's cocaine, threatened, with a straight face, to punish Colombia for not doing its part in the War on Drugs. -Dave Barry recapping events of 1995 */ -----Original Message----- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List <IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU> On Behalf Of Phil Smith III Sent: Tuesday, June 13, 2023 18:11 ...too many instances of companies abusing employee loyalty, lying about futures, etc. It's a two-way street: you treat people well, they will pay it back. You act like 90-some percent of employers these days, be lucky if you get two weeks' notice. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
