China – Nearly half of workers have rejected counter offers from their employers to stay

By memberservices@staffingindustry.com (Danny Romero)

According to international recruitment firm Hays, 45% of workers in China have at some point in their career rejected a counter offer from their employer to make them stay.

In a poll of nearly 400 people, 38% said they accepted a counter offer and ended up staying with their employer for longer than 12 months. Moreover, 17% of respondents said that while they accepted a counter offer to stay with their employer at the time, they ended up leaving the organisation less than 12 months after that. The counter offers come in many forms such as an increase in salary, additional company benefits, etc.

“People reject counter offers because in most cases it’s too late,” Simon Lance, Managing Director of Hays in China, said. “Whether it’s because they want to take the next step in their career or they want to broaden their professional horizons, chances are they made their mind up when they applied for that other job. It could also be that they wish to change industries or simply because they are currently unhappy in their present role.”

“Before considering presenting a counter offer, employers should be wary that once an employee has announced their intention to leave, their long-term loyalty can come into question”, Lance said. “They’ve made it clear that their career prospects are better served elsewhere. If news of their desire to switch jobs became open knowledge within the workplace, colleagues will be forever sceptical as to whether their heart is really in the job and certainly the harmony of the team could be in jeopardy.”

Source:: Staffing Industry Analysts Daily Newsfeed