The expert stated about the short-term effect of employers' counterproposals

A counteroffer — a counteroffer from an employer in response to an employee's intention to quit — has ceased to be a universal retention tool in recent years. In 2025-2026, this practice increasingly gives only a temporary effect and does not solve the underlying causes of withdrawal, Olga Gulyaeva, HR and Corporate Culture Director at Adviros HR company, told Izvestia on February 8.

According to her, today about half of the employees face a supervisor when they try to quit, and about the same number agree to stay. However, the subsequent dynamics turn out to be unfavorable for employers: up to 80% of those who accept a counteroffer leave the company within a year, and more than half leave within the first six months. This indicates that the supervisor often only postpones care rather than eliminating its causes.

The expert noted that by the time an employee submits a letter of resignation along with an alternative offer, the decision has often already been formed.

"The controller at this stage is, in fact, an attempt at resuscitation. A person hesitates for a long time, analyzes the prospects and risks, and only then begins to actively look for a new job. When the offer is received, the point of return has often already been passed," Gulyaeva explained.

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According to her, only a radical revision of the conditions can change the situation at such a moment — an immediate increase in income, usually by at least 20%, an expansion of the area of responsibility, a new position or a clear career path. All agreements should take effect immediately, and not be postponed to the future: promises of "someday" practically do not work in this phase.

A supervisor can be much more effective at an early stage, when the employee does not yet have an external offer, but dissatisfaction is already growing. In such cases, the expert believes, the key is to work with the root causes — the motivation system, lack of development, an uncomfortable atmosphere in the team, or a mismatch of the role with expectations. Adjusting tasks, moving to another department, changing the bonus scheme, or receiving support from a supervisor can have an effect if all agreements are documented.

"In a changing labor market, the most effective retention tool is not a supervisor, but a regular career dialogue. An open discussion of expectations and problems allows you to reduce risks in advance and not bring the matter to a statement "on your own". Otherwise, the counterproposal turns from a retention strategy into a belated reaction to an already made decision," the Adviros representative concluded.

Ekaterina Kalmykova, the chief lawyer of 5offer, said on February 1 that an employee who was dismissed for reasons unrelated to his professional qualities or work responsibilities has the right to go to court about this. It was clarified that an employer who initiated dismissal for non-working issues most often violates the law. In order to identify a potential illegal act committed by the company, the dismissed employee must answer the question "Who is the initiator of the dismissal?", since this party, as the lawyer clarified, is responsible for making the decision.

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