It will understandably have come as a great source of frustration for Marks & Spencer that its new stores director David Lepley has had a last-minute change of heart and opted to stay at Morrisons.

A great deal of time and resource goes into retail recruitment at the highest level. When you consider that notice periods can be anything up to a year for senior executives, you could be looking at a nearly two-year delay if a candidate performs a U-turn just weeks before they are due to begin their new role.

Lepley, who is currently Morrisons’ operation director, is reported to have been offered a bigger role with the grocer, though further details have not been revealed.

I don’t claim to know the circumstances behind this particular hire; however, I am of the view that, in general, accepting a counteroffer is the wrong thing to do.

“Your employer and co-workers may treat you differently now you have shown your willingness to leave the business”

The first thing to say is that the underlying issues that prompted you to consider other job opportunities will remain. Situations and people don’t change overnight; moreover, people who accept a counteroffer often feel they have been bought rather than rewarded for the work they have done. This dissatisfaction will eventually affect your sense of belonging to the company.

In my experience, promises made by employers often don’t come true, which explains why, on average, around 80% of those who accept counteroffers reignite their job search within three months.

On top of that, trust is likely to be broken between you and your current employer. Often, resignation is seen as lack of loyalty and even though your current employer may have offered you a salary increase or promotion in order to retain your services, those around you will be questioning whether they can count on you, which will limit your future growth.

That’s not to say you won’t remain committed to doing your best for your current employer, but your employer and co-workers may treat you differently now you have shown your willingness to leave the business.

Make your mark

Another key point to make is that accepting a last-minute counteroffer can potentially limit future career opportunities. As part of our work as headhunters, we explain to our candidates that they will in all likelihood receive counteroffers from their current employer. It is then our job to thoroughly assess their actions and personality to find out the truth behind what’s motivating them to put themselves forward for a role and spot any signs they might be wavering in their decision.

The first and most obvious sign is have they accepted a counteroffer before?

Are they slow to respond to phone calls or do they exhibit a general lack of strength of character?

“My advice is simple: don’t waiver on your decision to change jobs”

If they haven’t already explored ways of fixing the issues causing them to seek a new job by, for instance, asking for a pay rise or asking their manager for more challenging work, then it’s important to establish why not?

If we identify signs that suggest a candidate is not 100% committed to taking up a job offer, we will remove them from the process. And if they sign a contract and then renege on it by accepting a counteroffer, we will not put them forward for future roles in line with the industry standard.

My advice is simple: don’t waiver on your decision to change jobs.

You took the time to identify your reasons for leaving. You worked to fix all the issues that were within your control. Now, stick by your decision, leave the business and make your mark in your new role.

Content provided by Anthony Gregg Partnership.

anthony gregg partnership

You can call Tony Gregg on 0207 316 3146 or email him at tony@anthonygregg.com.

Founded in 2003 and located in central London, The Anthony Gregg Partnership specialises in the consumer search market space.