This question comes from a friend who is in this situation ....
"Having accepted an offer from and made a commitment to one employer, is it morally wrong to withdraw from that commitment if a better offer is made from a different employer?"
He is wanting YOUR advice and thoughts ....
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9 comments:
NO!! There is no moral argument to be made here. Companies today do not show loyalty to any employee. Everyone has the responsibility to do what is best for him or herself. The company is not going to look out for you, so you have to look out for yourself.
If you feel guilty about this type of thing, I applaud your sense of loyalty, but get over the guilt. The company would get rid of you in a heartbeat if it no longer needs you.
long gone are the days where you went to work for an employer and stayed with that employer for 25...even 50 years. we have become transient. also, many employers now penalize for loyalty as opposed to rewarding. we have all heard of people let go just before they qualified for full bennies at retirement, or downsizing by laying off the people at the high range of the pay scale so they can hire new people at lower wages.
Having said that, i am a believer in loyalty. If the "committment" refered to included the employer expending funds to train and school the employee, then they should be rewarded with at least some period of performance by that employee. If, however, it was just an agreement to come to work for the company, then no. The employer could just as easily decide 2 weeks in that things aren't working out and you are left jobless.
Ultimately, in the job market, you can't count on most employers looking out for and taking care of you. For them, it's a matter of their bottom line.
"Morally Wrong"??? I don't think so. You have not started working for them yet. They didn't give you a signing bonus ...
If I were in your situation, I would have to do what would be best for me and my family. How long is the drive to each job? Compare the pay and benefits. Decide which job you would really LIKE to do.
Even if the first company had given me a signing bonus ... it would almost make me feel better to return that bonus to them and turn down their offer if I really wanted the other job. I know this first company didn't give you a bonus ... so all you can hand back to them is their offer, with thanks ... and go on ...
Good Luck!! In this day and age, I think it is great that you have such a decision to make!!
Morally wrong? I think that would depend upon the individual situation.
Being a Private Duty Nurse and I accepted a job to take care of a very ill person or disabled child, then I feel morally obligated to fulfill this commitment without reservation.
I would have to pass on the better offer or easier situation for now.
That is just me.
I agree with what everyone else has said. Although I haven't been in the working world that long, I have learned a thing or two along the way about how the employer/employee relationship works. If you have found something else that you are excited about and want to do, then I say go for it. Choose the path that is better for you. In the end, you don't want to be looking back and saying "What if" about a job that you would have been really happy doing.
TWO BIG WORDS HERE........ACCEPTED
AND COMMITMENT.....ALSO BETTER OFFER......JUST MONEY????? LOCATION
FROM HOME?????? THE PEOPLE????....
A LOTS OF VARIABLES HERE CIN. THE FIRST JOB MAY PROVE TO BE THE BETTER ONE IN TWO WEEKS.
IF ALL ELSE IS EQUAL FORGET THE MORALS IF YOU CAN LIVE WITH YOURSELF......."GO FOR IT" !!!!!!!
No, not at all. He should explain to them the reason he is withdrawing. If they want him badly enough they will raise their offer, if not he has to do what is best for himself.
Here is the response I received from the man with this dilema ...
"Thank you so much for posting my moral dilemma question on your Question of the Day site. I've read all the comments, yours and Tom's and the others, and found some good wisdom.
I was talking with Marsha yesterday evening, and told her my decision, so this is not a surprise to her. My decision is based on two principles, both of which are recognized in the QoftheD comments. One is that this is indeed a different world these days, in terms of the relationship between labor and management/capital, as has been made very painfully and completely apparent to me; the social contract between these parties has been abrogated, irretrievably broken, and it wasn't labor who broke it. If it all comes down to the bottom line, then companies can expect to deal with all the consequences, good and bad. The other thing is that I have to do what is best for my family, and if it means that seeking economic advantage is what it's all about, then I am not morally obligated.
My decision is to take the offer in hand and go with SBC. But if I get a better offer from someone else, then I will go there. The notice I give will depend on how long I am in the position at SBC and the demands of the new position.
I want to thank all parties for their comments and wisdom, and wish them a Happy Thanksgiving."
Companies are money making engines, and it's staff are just gears in the system. They don't hire you to help you. They don't hire you for your well being. They hire you solely because someone's excel spreadsheet calculates that their return on investment remains up with you around. So YOU have the same right. Pick and stay only where you understand your goals can be achieved (note I didn't necessarily say where you get paid best).
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