Counter offer from current employer

[TheScarletPumpernickel]

I recently applied for a job with another organisation and was successful. They offered me a bump to my current package of C.15%. I didn't negotiate because this seemed fair and I was interested in the role itself.

I spoke to my current boss to hand my notice in and she seemed surprised and upset and immediately offered to match the new salary. I've told her I'll think about it.

My gut instinct is that if I've got this far, I probably need to put on my big girl pants and take the plunge for the new role. I've seen others accept counter offers over the years and they inevitably end up leaving within a few months anyway. Has anyone had a good experience of accepting a counter offer?

However, what I'm less sure about is do people use these counter offers to leverage more from their new employers? Or is that a big faux-pas which is going to result in the new job telling me to stick it/ getting labelled mercenary before I even begin?

I just don't know how the game is played (I've never negotiated my salary before) and don't want to leave money on the table, but equally don't want to behave completely inappropriately either. Grateful for any experiences and views from the mumsnet Brain Trust 😁

For further context:

1. This is for a large multinational rather than an SME I'm suggesting squeezing more money out of...
2. Without undue arrogance, I'm fairly confident the new employer is quite keen (I've been told I was the favourite candidate from the start and was offered the job within hours of interviewing)
3. This for a "mid senior" type role in a relatively niche sector

I've been on both sides. My advice would be to think about why you are leaving and what exactly the counteroffer would solve if you stayed.

When I accepted, it was because they'd literally just got funding through so the career progression path I wanted was now available. It hadn't been visible to me because everything was hush hush and under NDA. It worked out really well and I stayed there for another 4 years.

The counteroffer I turned down was promising the moon on a stick - promotion, more money, better title, bigger team to manage etc., but it didn't change the fundamental reason I wanted to leave - which was culture based. I don't regret turning it down.

TheCreamTea - I wanted to WFH from home five days a week and the counter offer gave me this, but the scam element is there regardless. The counter offer might give you what you want, however employers behave negatively towards counter offer employees once they accept the counter offer.
It is not simply a matter of questioning the reason for leaving, but understanding that the employer's attitude may well change.

I did this and my then employer decided to make my life a living hell once I accepted the counter offer. I left within a few months for anything I could get, which worked out better for me in the long run. The problem is once you tell them your leaving, alot will then hold this against you even if they in good will offered to match or beat the new job offer. I'd say leave now whilst you can or you could end up like the other people you've seen still go after a few weeks. If it turns out that you stay and they start making you feel like you shouldn't have it will eat at you, trust me.

This is not really about me or any individual employee, it is about the fact that essentially counter offers are a scam and people need to be warned. It is not about employees needing to consider why they wanted to leave etc, etc but that an employer will become hostile towards them if they accept the offer and stay. That is not the employee's fault and people need to be warned as they are for other scams. My only request is to please tell people.

@TreeView I’m sorry you’ve had a bad experience but counter offers are not in themselves scams, they are an established legitimate business practice. They can work out - while I was working my notice at my old job a colleague told me that they had accepted a counter offer some time previously, which explained their sudden promotion. They were quite open that they used a new job offer as leverage to get the promotion that our employer was dragging their heels on. Good on them.

It’s very dependent on the company and industry; some will handle it better than others. In my profession there is a current shortage of experienced staff so counter offers and negotiation with old and new employers are becoming part of the standard recruitment process.

@TreeView

What is your source for the "statistics" you are quoting please?

Because I cannot see that you have cited your source, but from your comments it sounds like some PR survey conducted by a recruitment company - which would have a vested interest in advising people to move jobs.

swanling - https://www.recruitment-software.co.uk/7-counter-offer-statistics-every-recruiter-needs-know/ This article is also worth a read, together with the comments: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140619114149-115601827-career-mistakes-1-never-accept-counter-offers-after-you-resign/ According to this, the statistics have come from Forbes: https://www.redlinegroup.com/insights/should-you-accept-that-counter-offer-21192914303

As HappyFuture has experienced above, once an employee accepts the counter-offer, the employer holds it against them.