en

Services

Ireland's leading employers trust us to deliver fast, efficient hiring solutions that are tailored to their exact requirements. Browse our range of bespoke services and resources.

Read more
Jobs

Let our industry specialists listen to your aspirations and present your story to the most esteemed organisations in Ireland, as we collaborate to write the next chapter of your successful career.

See all jobs
Services

Ireland's leading employers trust us to deliver fast, efficient hiring solutions that are tailored to their exact requirements. Browse our range of bespoke services and resources.

Read more
About Robert Walters Ireland

Since our establishment 25 years ago, our belief remains the same: Building strong relationships with people is vital in a successful partnership.

Learn more

Work for us

Our people are the difference. Hear stories from our people to learn more about a career at Robert Walters Ireland

Learn more

Accepting a counter offer

With many employers struggling to retain good quality staff, professionals are increasingly likely to be presented with a counter offer when they announce their resignation.

The decision whether or not to accept a counter offer is an important one that may have a lasting impact on your career.

You should consider whether the counter offer will truly address your original reasons for wanting to leave and if your future with the company could be impacted even if you decide to stay.

“Our research has shown that while many professionals have received counter offers during their resignation process, 39% of those who accepted returned to the jobs market within a year," said Suzanne Feeney, Country Manager at Robert Walters Ireland. 

"This suggests that employees who have considered leaving a company and have found an alternative role will not be persuaded to stay long term.”

1. Your existing company wants to buy you back

It is in an organisation’s best interest to retain their best staff if they can, so when a valued team member hands in their notice, managers will often try to financially incentivise the employee to stay.

Change can seem daunting and increased pay and progression is appealing, but before you accept the counter offer you should consider a number of factors:

2. Are the reasons behind the counter offer in your best interest?

It is usually cheaper to keep an employee through offering a pay rise or promotion than it is to hire and train a new member of staff, so this may be the main reason your employer wants you to stay.

"While it is clearly in your employer's interest to retain you, this doesn’t change the fact that you’d been unhappy enough at work to not only look for another opportunity, but to interview and subsequently receive an offer for a new job," continued Suzanne. 

3. Has the trust been broken?

While many professionals have received counter offers during their resignation process, 39% of those who accepted returned to the jobs market within a year.

 

It may be worth considering whether your employer's opinion of you will be coloured by the fact that you seriously considered leaving.

If you have been looking for another job, then your employer may see you as less trustworthy than before and could view any dental or doctors appointments suspiciously which may make you feel unsettled at work.

4. Would you have received a pay rise or promotion if you hadn’t resigned?

It is worth considering whether you would have received this recognition of your hard work if you hadn’t handed in your notice, and if not – do you want to stay at a company that doesn’t reward its employees until they hand in their resignation.

"In some cases employers will offer an increased salary as a counter offer at the direct expense of a bonus payment," added Suzanne.

"Particularly for professionals in fields where their bonus accounts for a significant part of their annual income this can interfere with their financial plans."

5. Why did you want to leave in the first place?

While financial rewards are attractive incentives, recent research by Robert Walters has shown that employees are most likely to look for new job opportunities that offer them better career progression.

So accepting a counter offer purely for the financial benefits doesn’t mean that you won’t still feel dissatisfied in your role in a few months’ time.

 

Looking for a new opportunity? See the latest jobs in Ireland.

Share this article

Useful links

Sign up for job alerts
Salary Survey
Career Advice
Get in touch

Find out more by contacting one of our specialist recruitment consultants

Related content

View all
Rugby tickets prize draw

ENTER NOW Enter the prize draw by filling out the form and be in for the chance to win two tickets to the Autumn Nations Series game Ireland vs New Zealand on Friday 8th November 2024 at the Aviva Stadium. The winner will be announced on Thursday 7th November at 12pm.

Read More
5 LinkedIn profile updates to make today

With more than 500 million existing profiles spanning a geographical reach of 200 countries and two new members joining every second, LinkedIn is changing the professional landscape and making it easier for recruiters to interact with you. An effective online professional profile has therefore becom

Read More
Should you accept a counter-offer?

Suzanne Feeney – Country Manager at Robert Walters’ Dublin discusses counter-offers and how to manage them. As the recruitment market improves in Dublin, the frequency of counter offers has become a lot more prevalent. Ever since the downfall in the economy, professionals in certain sectors were rel

Read More

I'm Robert Walters Are you?

Come join our global team of creative thinkers, problem solvers and game changers. We offer accelerated career progression, a dynamic culture and expert training.