Why Counter Offers Are Rising and How to Prevent Candidates Accepting Them

Counter offers have become an increasingly common challenge for companies looking to hire top talent. Just when an employer thinks they’ve secured the right candidate, their current company steps in with a tempting offer to make them stay. For the candidate, this can be an emotional and financial dilemma, do they stick with the comfort of the familiar, especially if their employer suddenly shows renewed appreciation, or take the leap into a new opportunity?

With competition for skilled professionals fiercer than ever, businesses need to be proactive in preventing counter offers from derailing their hiring efforts. But why are counter offers on the rise, and what can companies do to ensure their chosen candidate follows through with their offer?

Why Counter Offers Are On The Rise

Job Security in Uncertain Times

During economic uncertainty, employees often prioritise stability, favouring the familiarity and security of their current role over the risks of a new opportunity.

The comfort of an established workplace, even if not ideal, can outweigh the uncertainty of a fresh start, making a counter offer seem like the safer and easier option.

Better Financial Incentives

A competitive salary or bonus can be hard to resist, especially in a job market where salaries are on the rise. If the counter offer includes a pay increase or other benefits, the financial appeal may outweigh the attraction of a new opportunity.

Feeling Valued

Sometimes, employees feel undervalued, and a counter offer can serve as a form of recognition. When an employer makes an effort to match or improve upon a competitive offer, it can validate an employee’s worth, making them reconsider their decision to leave.

Emotional Attachment and Familiarity

A supportive boss can have a big impact. If an employee receives a counter offer from a manager they respect, they may be swayed to stay, especially if reassured about future opportunities. Strong bonds with colleagues and teams also play a role, as a counter offer can reignite loyalty, particularly when the employer shows renewed commitment to their growth and satisfaction.

Unclear Career Trajectory

Some employees don’t have a clear view of where their new role will take them in the long term. If a counter offer promises growth and career progression within their current company, they may be more inclined to stay.

Avoiding Change

Even if an employee feels stuck in their current role, the thought of starting over at a new company can feel daunting. The process of adapting to a new environment, colleagues, and responsibilities can discourage employees from making the jump.

How Companies Can Prevent a Candidate From Accepting a Counter Offer

When a company has found the perfect candidate, they’ve often invested considerable time and resources into the recruitment process. The candidate fits the job role, aligns with the company culture, and brings valuable skills to the table. As a result, the last thing any employer wants is to lose them to a counter offer from their current employer.

So, how can businesses minimise the risk of their ideal candidate accepting a counter offer?

Build a Strong Relationship Early

From the start, build rapport with your candidate. Make them feel like they are already part of the team. This emotional connection can make it harder for their current employer to convince them to stay.

Make an Attractive Offer Based on Individual Priorities

Understand why the candidate is considering a change and tailor your offer to address their specific concerns, such as work-life balance, growth opportunities, or recognition. While a competitive salary is important, emphasising perks like flexible working hours, career development, and a strong work-life balance will make your offer stand out and differentiate it from counter offers.

Highlight Career Development

Show the candidate how the role offers personal and professional growth, emphasising opportunities for advancement and mentorship as key steps in their career progression.

Promote Your Company Culture

Candidates are looking for more than a job, they want to feel like they belong. Emphasise your company’s values, team dynamics, and supportive culture to show why your workplace is the right fit.

Be Transparent

Clear communication is key. Outline expectations, responsibilities, and growth prospects to give the candidate confidence in their decision.

Uncertainty or confusion may cause them to rethink and consider a counter-offer.

Encourage Long-Term Thinking

Help the candidate visualise their future with your company. If they can see the long-term benefits of joining your team, the temptation of a counter offer may fade.

Move Quickly

Don’t wait too long to make an offer. The longer you take, the more time the candidate has to entertain their current employer’s counter offer. A prompt, decisive offer shows you’re serious and reduces the risk of losing them.

“While you can’t entirely eliminate the risk of a counter offer, by building a strong relationship, offering an attractive package, and addressing their needs, you can greatly increase the chances of securing your perfect candidate. The key is to make them feel valued, supported, and excited about the future with your company.” Sandra Hill

How Can Help Navigate Counter Offers with Our Expertise

As international headhunters with extensive experience, we understand that counter offers can be a significant hurdle in the hiring process, but our expertise helps you navigate them effectively.

We identify and engage top professionals who not only have the right skills but are also genuinely motivated to make a move. Our in-depth screening process goes beyond CVs, allowing us to understand a candidate’s true drivers, career ambitions, and potential concerns before an offer is made.

By building strong relationships with candidates, spending an average of four hours getting to know them, we can anticipate and address any hesitations early on.

This proactive approach helps make your offer compelling and increases the likelihood of success.

With our highly effective recruitment process, 82% of our placements remain in position after five years, and 63% stay for over a decade.

By leveraging our process, we help you build a team that drives long-term success.

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Counteroffers are a typical occurrence in the ever-changing world of career advancement. It’s that critical moment when you’ve decided to leave for a better opportunity, only to be presented with a tempting offer from your current employer to keep you. Many professionals face a situation filled with challenges and issues that extend beyond the immediate attraction of a better compensation or benefits.

The Temptation of Counteroffers

Consider this scenario: After carefully refining your CV, successfully navigating many interview stages, and getting a job offer that exactly aligns with your career goals, you’re ready to start on a fresh career path and say goodbye to your current role. However, just as you’re about to make the decision, your employer surprises you with a counteroffer. Suddenly, the decision to leave becomes complicated by tempting offers of a salary increase, a promotion, or even a more flexible work schedule.

A false sense of instant satisfaction

At first look, a counteroffer may appear to be a lifeline, confirming your worth within the company. It boosts your ego and provides immediate happiness from feeling respected. However, under the surface lies a deeper truth: counteroffers are frequently used as a temporary patch rather than a long-term solution.

The Hidden Challenges

Accepting a counteroffer can introduce a myriad of complications, both professionally and personally.

Trust and Loyalty: Your decision to look for other opportunities could jeopardise trust and loyalty in your existing workplace. Your company may question your dedication and wonder whether you’re just using the offer as leverage to get a better deal.

Cultural Fit: If you’ve already considered leaving due to concerns about company culture, job satisfaction, or career advancement opportunities, a counteroffer might not resolve these issues. Accepting it may simply prolong the inevitable: the desire to seek fulfilment elsewhere.

Career Progress: While a counteroffer may promise an increase in salary or an attractive title, it does not always address your long-term career goals. Will the concerns that caused your job search in the first place be effectively addressed, or are you simply putting off the inevitable?

The Harsh Reality

Statistics show a grim picture: nine out of ten candidates who accept a counter offer leave their existing employment within twelve months. Why? Because the underlying issues that drove individuals to seek new possibilities continue, regardless of the short-term relief provided by a counteroffer.

Going Forward

So, what are the alternatives? Rather of falling to the attraction of a counteroffer, it is critical to address the situation with clarity and perspective.

Reflect on Your Priorities: Determine what is most important to you in your career. Is it just about salary, or do you want more fulfilment, growth, and alignment with your values?

Communicate Openly: If you’ve decided to pursue external opportunities, be open and honest with your employer. Express gratitude for the experiences and relationships you’ve built while explaining why you want to take on new challenges.

Stay Committed to Growth: Accept change as an opportunity for growth and development. Rather than settling for short-term fixes, prioritise opportunities that match with your long-term career goals and personal fulfilment.

Counteroffers may provide temporary relief, but they rarely address the fundamental challenges that motivate people to seek new opportunities. By embracing change with courage and planning, you open up possibilities for true advancement in your career and fulfilment.

To download the details of this HR Business Partner, click here 

An experienced HR business partner who expertly navigates organisational challenges to promote growth and a positive workplace culture, who is currently open to new interim opportunities

Successful Career Impact:
  • Led CEO transition from daily operations to strategic growth, implementing PDP with a concise one-page strategy, resulting in a 91% participation rate and an 88% employee engagement rate, a notable increase from the 2020 rate of 72%.
  • Coordinated a successful 18-month GDPR compliance project, including data mapping, awareness training, and policy building; achieved support from Information Asset Owners with a focus on collaboration and teamwork.
  • Enhanced a General Manager’s PDR process through external coaching, 360 feedback, and 9-box evaluations, fostering collaborative goal-setting and improved performance across the Senior Leadership Team and entire workforce.
  • Efficiently executed a project to modernise and standardise working arrangements, conducting a comprehensive evaluation of terms and conditions for 900 employees across 13 nationwide manufacturing and logistic facilities.
  • Successfully managed the closure of a 150-employee site, prioritising respectful treatment of affected staff, offering numerous opportunities for meaningful alternative employment within the client’s other sites or the local area, and achieving all project objectives on schedule and in alignment with cultural specifications.

If you would like to discuss this exceptional person, in more detail, and how they can make a real impact to your business, please get in touch sandra@hillgroup.co.uk or call +44 (0)161 448 8283.

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In today’s recruiting market, traditional hiring practices are rapidly giving way to a more targeted and efficient strategy known as skills-based hiring. This radical shift in recruitment techniques is gaining popularity due to its ability to prioritise candidates’ skills over traditional factors such as education and experience. In this blog post, we will look at the advantages of skills-based recruiting, its importance, and how it is transforming the recruitment process.

Why Skills-Based Hiring Matters:

Accuracy in Candidate Assessment:

Skills-based hiring assesses candidates based on their practical abilities and competencies rather than just their qualifications. This ensures a more accurate assessment of a candidate’s ability to perform in a specific area, resulting in better hires.

Diversity and Inclusion:

Traditional recruitment methods can unintentionally foster bias by favouring individuals with specific educational backgrounds or experience. Skills-based hiring encourages equality while also encouraging diversity and inclusion by allowing individuals from varied backgrounds and alternative career paths to qualify.

Flexibility to Sudden Industry Changes:

Industries are evolving at an incredible rate, and skill requirements are constantly changing. Skills-based hiring enables organisations to respond quickly to changing demands by prioritising candidates with current and relevant skills, keeping the workforce adaptable and competitive.

Reduces Time to Hire:

By focusing on essential skills, the recruitment process becomes more efficient. Traditional hiring usually involves a lengthy screening process based on educational requirements and prior experience, but skills-based hiring enables recruiters to identify candidates more quickly, lowering time-to-hire.

Improves Employee Engagement and Retention:

When people are hired based on their skills and abilities, they are more likely to be happy in their careers. The combination of job needs and individual skills leads to increased job satisfaction, engagement, and, ultimately, retention rates.

Changing the strategy:

Moving from Degree to Skill Focused:

Degrees are valuable, but skills are the real value of the job market. Companies are rapidly recognising the need to shift their focus away from traditional degree requirements and towards a deeper assessment of an individual’s skill set.

Technology’s Impact on Evaluating Skills:

Advancements in technology, like as AI-powered assessments and skills testing systems, are essential for enabling skills-based hiring. These tools give data-driven insights, allowing recruiters to make informed hiring decisions based on candidates’ actual skills.

Upskilling and Retraining Strategies:

Companies are investing in training and development initiatives to provide their current workforce with the skills needed for the future. This not only increases employee satisfaction, but also minimises the need for external hiring by using the skills of the current team.

Summary:

Skills-based hiring is more than just a trend; it represents a fundamental shift in how businesses build their workforce. Companies that value skills over traditional identifiers can reach an extensive pool of candidates, respond to market changes, and develop adaptable and highly skilled employees. As the business landscape changes, embracing skills-based hiring becomes a need for remaining competitive in the job market.