In recruitment, when the question of the “counteroffer” arises, workers and recruiters usually adopt the same position: it’s… “refused”! “Too little, too late,” is the hasty conclusion. In a recent LinkedIn post, Vincent Decitre, executive coach and president of Decitre & Associates, suggests revisiting this unequivocal stance.
To understand the tidal wave of objections to the idea of accepting a counteroffer from a fallen employer, just do a Google search on the topic: “recruitment: accept or refuse a counteroffer”. The top articles are quite categorical: “bad idea,” “why you should refuse,” “beware the risks of a counteroffer”…
Generally, the argument presented is one of trust, which is said to be irreparably broken. Additionally, several articles provide statistical arguments, claiming that 50% to 80% of workers who accept a counteroffer leave within the following year; however, only a single credible source supports this assertion.
Ultimately, it’s also important to keep in mind that these texts are written by recruitment firms that have an interest in poaching candidates. This might be where the issue lies.
A “Complex” World
Though he himself leads a headhunting firm, Vincent Decitre refrains from preaching to the choir:
“I don’t appreciate when recruiters denigrate the choice of candidates who finally accept a counteroffer from their employer,” he writes on LinkedIn. “Firstly, in our context of shortage, it is normal for a company to go to great lengths to desperately retain its good employees. Secondly, the corporate world has become so complex that there are a multitude of reasons why someone did not get this or that promotion in the past.”
Among these reasons, the executive coach mentions “circumstantial,” “systemic,” “political,” “relational” reasons, or simply “because the company struggles to make bold HR decisions.” In themselves, all these reasons do not justify a candidate not seriously considering a counteroffer.
Furthermore, Vincent Decitre posits the hypothesis that, in some cases, it might be the professional themselves who is the cause of their career stagnation.
“Perhaps the person has not expressed their desires according to their company’s norms. Depending on the culture, one sometimes has to maneuver over long periods, or conversely, take bold risks. This isn’t something everyone can do.”
The president of Decitre & Associates sends this message to his peers:
“When we approach hidden candidates who are in their comfort zone, we must accept that their interest and motivation will grow throughout the process but may ultimately not be enough. The important thing is to spend a lot of time with each person to understand (…) their desires and doubts, their ambivalences. We must be able to stimulate interest without forcing, give our opinion when we believe in it, and build trust to finally assess the risk, share it responsibly with stakeholders, involve the client in this risk, and take appropriate measures (never stop searching).”
An interesting perspective!
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