Should You Accept a Counteroffer? What Singapore Professionals Should Compare Before Staying

CareerNovember 05, 2026 09:00

Singapore professional in a one-to-one meeting with their manager, considering a counteroffer after handing in a resignation letter

You hand in your resignation. Within a day, your manager asks for a quick chat and says: "What would it take to keep you?" A higher salary, a new title or a promise of change is suddenly on the table. It is flattering, and it can make a hard decision feel even harder.

In short: A counteroffer is an offer from your current employer to persuade you to stay after you resign or reveal that you have another offer. Before accepting, check three things: whether it fixes the reasons you started looking, whether the changes are specific and in writing, and how staying will affect trust and your career path. A counteroffer can be the right choice when it genuinely resolves the issue. It is less likely to help when the reasons for leaving were not about pay.

Why Singapore professionals start looking

71.8% of Singapore employees were in some form of job search activity, from browsing to applying (Reeracoen x Rakuten Insight, Beyond the Paycheque 2026, n=337).
A higher salary (58.8%) was the most common reason employees would consider changing jobs.
Many other reasons were not about pay: better work-life balance (40.9%), better career progression (30.3%), stress or burnout (29.1%), job insecurity (25.8%), company culture or values (19.3%) and leadership or management issues (19.0%).

What Is a Counteroffer?

A counteroffer is any new offer your current employer makes to keep you after you resign or tell them you have an offer elsewhere. It can include:

a salary increase
a promotion, new title or expanded responsibilities
a change of team, manager or reporting line
flexible work arrangements or a reduced workload
a one-off retention payment

Why Employers Make Counteroffers

Replacing an experienced employee can be slow and costly. In Reeracoen's survey of 375 Singapore hiring managers, 80.3% named candidates' salary expectations as a hiring challenge and 56.3% cited a lack of experienced candidates. MOM's Report on Wage Practices 2025 also found that employee retention was the most commonly cited reason employers gave for granting wage increases.

This helps explain why a counteroffer can appear quickly. It does not mean the offer is insincere, but it does mean the timing is driven by your resignation. The useful question is whether the offer changes what made you want to leave.

Start With Why You Were Leaving

The most important test is simple: does the counteroffer fix the reason you started looking? Based on Reeracoen's observations, some reasons are easier to fix with an offer than others.

Reason you started looking	Share of employees*	Can a counteroffer fix it?
Higher salary	58.8%	Possibly, if the new pay is in line with the market for your role and level.
Better work-life balance	40.9%	Only if workload, hours or flexibility change in concrete, written terms.
Better career progression	30.3%	Only with a defined role, scope and timeline, not a general promise.
Stress or burnout	29.1%	Pay alone rarely helps. Look for real changes to workload or support.
Job insecurity	25.8%	Difficult, as it often depends on the business outlook rather than your offer.
Leadership or management issues	19.0%	Unlikely, unless your reporting line or manager changes.

*Share of Singapore employees who would consider changing jobs for each reason (up to three reasons). Source: Reeracoen x Rakuten Insight, Beyond the Paycheque 2026 (n=337).

If your main reason was pay and the counteroffer brings you to a fair market level, staying may make sense. If your main reason was workload, your manager or the lack of a future path, more money may delay the problem rather than solve it.

Five Questions to Ask Before You Stay

Does it address the reason I was leaving? Match the offer against your real reasons, not only the salary gap.
Is it specific and in writing? Ask for the new salary, title, scope or arrangement, and the date it takes effect, to be confirmed in writing.
Is it a lasting change or a one-off? A retention payment helps once. A salary increase or role change carries forward. Check any conditions attached, such as a required period of service.
How will the relationship change? Consider whether your manager and team will see you differently, and whether future opportunities could be affected.
What am I giving up? Compare the counteroffer with the new offer on the same basis, including guaranteed pay, benefits, conditions and career path.

Signs a Counteroffer May Be Worth Considering

Your main reason for leaving was pay, and the new salary is fair for your role and level.
The offer includes a clear change in role, scope or reporting line, confirmed in writing.
You were broadly happy with your manager, team and direction before you resigned.
The new job was attractive mainly because of salary, not because of the work itself.

Signs to Be Cautious

The offer is mostly verbal, or relies on phrases such as "we will look at this next year".
Your reasons for leaving were workload, culture or management, and those are not changing.
The counteroffer only appeared after you resigned, even though you had raised the same concerns before.
You feel pressured to decide on the spot.

How to Respond Professionally

Whatever you decide, handle the conversation carefully. You may work with these people again.

Thank your employer and ask for a short, agreed time to consider the offer.
Keep the new employer informed honestly. Do not leave them waiting without explanation.
If you stay, remember that withdrawing a resignation requires your employer's agreement. Ask for that agreement, together with the revised terms and when they take effect, to be confirmed in writing. Then let the other employer know promptly and courteously.
If you go, decline politely, thank your manager for the gesture, and focus on a professional handover. Our guide to resigning after your bonus covers notice and leave considerations.

The Decision Is About Direction, Not Just Pay

A counteroffer can be a fair outcome when it fixes the problem that made you look elsewhere. It is less helpful when it only adds money to a situation you wanted to leave for other reasons. Compare where each option could lead over the next one or two years, not just what changes in your next payslip.

Talk to Reeracoen Singapore

For professionals: Weighing a counteroffer against a new opportunity? Register with Reeracoen Singapore and speak with a specialist consultant in confidence about your options.

For employers: Want to reduce resignations before they reach the counteroffer stage? Speak with Reeracoen Singapore's recruitment team about salary benchmarking and retention planning.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I accept a counteroffer in Singapore?

It depends on why you were leaving. A counteroffer may be worth accepting if your main reason was pay and the new terms are fair and in writing. If your reasons were workload, management, culture or limited progression, check whether those will genuinely change before you stay.

Is it bad to accept a counteroffer?

Not necessarily. The risk is that the original reasons for leaving remain, or that the relationship changes after your resignation. Accepting works best when the offer resolves the underlying issue and is confirmed in writing.

How do I decline a counteroffer politely?

Thank your employer for the offer, say that you have considered it carefully, and confirm that you will be proceeding with your resignation. Offer to support a smooth handover during your notice period.

What should I do if I decide to stay after resigning?

Withdrawing a resignation requires your employer's agreement. Ask your employer to confirm in writing that they agree to the withdrawal, and to set out the revised terms and when they take effect. Then inform the other employer promptly and politely.

Should I tell my new employer about a counteroffer?

Being honest is usually the best approach, especially if it may affect your decision or start date. Avoid using a counteroffer only as a bargaining tool, as this can affect trust on both sides.

About the Author

Valerie Ong

Regional Head of Marketing, Reeracoen Group

Valerie leads content and market insights for Reeracoen across Asia. She works closely with Reeracoen's specialist recruitment consultants to translate hiring data, salary benchmarks and labour market trends into practical guidance for Singapore's employers and professionals. Her work draws on Reeracoen's proprietary research including the annual Salary Guide, Hiring Pulse, and Hiring Manager Survey.

Language note: This article is published in English. Reeracoen Singapore also publishes selected content in Chinese and Japanese for our bilingual and Japanese-speaking professional community.

References

Ministry of Manpower. Report on Wage Practices 2025 (28 May 2026). https://www.mom.gov.sg/newsroom/press-releases/2026/0528-report-on-wage-practices-2025
Reeracoen x Rakuten Insight. Beyond the Paycheque: Singapore Employee Sentiment Study 2026 (n=337; fieldwork October to December 2025).
Reeracoen x Rakuten Insight. Hiring Managers Unfiltered: How Singapore Employers View Unemployment, Skills and Talent in 2025/2026 (n=375).

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Disclaimer

This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal or career advice. Your rights and obligations depend on your employment contract and company policies. Official statistics are correct as of the dates cited.