Employee offered disappointing 5% raise, gets a new job paying 32% more and rejects employer's counter offer: 'Less than a month ago 5% was all they could do...'

Brad Dickson • Managing Editor

Sep 4, 2024 6:00 PM EDT

Being told that there's absolutely no way you can or should possibly be paid more for your work when you've taken on the responsibilities of not one but two vacant levels of management above your actual role is disappointing for certain. It's almost more disappointing, though, when you get another job offer for 32% more than your current pay, and when you tell your employer the news, they're more than willing to give you the money you originally asked for and more. As always, in situations such as this, you're never going to be better off accepting the counteroffer as you're opening the door to the risk that your employer knows you're willing to leave and looks to replace you as soon as possible.

In these situations, employers are betting that you'll accept the measly pay increase they're offering and not go looking elsewhere; it's the same reason why they'll hire at higher rates than they offer their existing staff; they're hoping the silent complacency of staff will continue to save them money by paying below the standard rate.

Of course, in instances such as the one this worker faced, there's also the possibility that someone responsible for authorizing their pay increase took a look at their title and balked at the amount they were asking for, not comprehending that they were actually contributing at a level far above the one described by their role.

I experienced something similar to this when I applied internally to a role that I had actually been doing for several months. I had been taking on duties two management levels above me, like the author of this story, thanks to two vacant positions. I had previously agreed to take on my manager's role temporarily, foolishly without secondment or additional pay, not thinking that it would be vacant for months. My manager's manager, who had asked me to do this soon, also left, leaving a disastrous lack of structure at the location where I worked and in the region. But, when I applied for the very role that I had been filling, I was laughed out of the room by the HR manager, who noted my "lack of experience…"
Although I also left soon afterward, the conclusion of my experience wasn't quite as satisfying as the author in this story, who shared online detailing how they left their job for one that paid 32% more after their contributions weren't properly recognized and rewarded by their employer.
See their original story below, followed by reactions from the employment community where it was shared.
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