• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place

2

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

3

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster

1

Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place

2

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

3

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
Practically Speaking

Should You Try to Keep an Employee Who Has Another Offer?

By
Gene Marks
Gene Marks
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Gene Marks
Gene Marks
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 25, 2016, 9:00 AM ET
Hinterhaus Productions Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Practically Speaking is a weekly column that addresses your most pressing business dilemmas. The advice is the opinion of long-time business owner Gene Marks. Send your questions to PracticallySpeaking@fortune.com.

A valuable employee just received her raise less than six months ago at her annual review. Last week she came by my office and said she has an offer from another company who would pay her about 10% more than she was making with us. I would hate to lose her. Do I match the offer?

While no one is irreplaceable, losing a valuable employee is a big hit to any business, particularly a smaller one. It will cost to find and train a new person. And the absence of a significant portion of your workforce brought about by this employee’s departure would hurt output and customer service. Just remember, this isn’t personal. It’s business. By looking for another job while still working for you, your employee is demonstrating that she’s going to do whatever’s best for her and her family and there’s nothing wrong with that. So there’s also nothing wrong with you doing the same.

 

She has another job offer, which means she’s been looking. And if she’s been looking it’s probably because, for whatever genuine reason, she’s probably on her way out the door eventually. Again, there’s nothing wrong with that and you shouldn’t feel that she is being disloyal or hurtful. She is just doing what she needs to do. So what do you do?

I’d match the offer and get her to stay. It’s a short-term plan. That way, you’ve given yourself more control over the situation and bought some time. You now know she’s looking and it’s a good bet she’ll ultimately leave your company. Armed with that information, you should prepare for this inevitability. Be sure to be thinking about contingencies so that you’re not left in the lurch.

My company has been around for a couple of decades and so have a lot of my computers. Okay, maybe not that long but I admit that my network and computers are old. I haven’t upgraded them in years. I don’t buy support plans and just pay to fix things when they break. This has worked for me for a long time. But every technology person I meet warns me of all the bad things that can happen to me because I’m using old technology. Should I believe them?

You’re not going to like my answer. No prudent, cost-conscious business owner would. But the answer is yes, you should believe them.

First of all, let me congratulate you on not giving in to the technology industry’s ever-increasing demands on its customers to upgrade. You know they do this because it means more revenues for them, of course. I know this because my company is a technology business and an upgrade means more revenues from fees and software sales for me. But I have quite a few clients who refuse to buy into this and instead stick with their old systems as long as possible. They have better places to invest and if their software and networks are working then why bother to fix a problem that isn’t there? Don’t upgrade just because the tech industry tells you to. Upgrade because it makes business sense.

Related: Why Non-Compete Agreements Aren’t Worth the Effort

And in many cases, particularly if your technology is more than a few years old, it does make sense. The latest versions of operating systems like Windows and iOS will protect you against the most recent viruses and malware that could cripple your company. Updated software and hardware will work faster and integrate with more databases which will provide productivity benefits to your people. And if you’re looking to expand and hire more people, you’re going to put yourself at a disadvantage when those Millennials get a look at your grandfather’s systems that are still running your company and migrate to other employers with more cool stuff.

In the end, upgrading your technology is a decision like any other investment. There must be a great enough return on investment that justifies the spend. You will need to show how the cost savings, the productivity enhancements, the avoidance of disruptions or even the intangible benefits of attracting people will make you more money. You will need to put this into quantifiable terms to help you decide if the returns are good enough. If it’s been a few years since you last upgraded then I’m going to bet that they will be.

About the Author
By Gene Marks
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

Brown University Professor Roberto Serrano, a man in a suit holding onto a gold trophy--the King Of Spain Economy Award"-- before Spain's King Felipe and a painted wall.
AIEducation
‘Humanity has chosen to become idiots’: This Brown professor switched to take-home exams after a mass shooting and discovered mass cheating
By Catherina GioinoJune 29, 2026
4 hours ago
bis
EconomyMarkets
The central bank of central banks just released its flagship annual report — and it sees a $1 trillion AI investment boom headed for a reckoning
By Nick LichtenbergJune 29, 2026
4 hours ago
U.S. official says $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets will be released, while Oman discusses possible Hormuz service fees with Tehran
PoliticsIran
U.S. official says $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets will be released, while Oman discusses possible Hormuz service fees with Tehran
By Jon Gambrell, Josh Boak and The Associated PressJune 29, 2026
5 hours ago
paralegal
AIdisruption
The most reassuring argument about AI and jobs quietly explains why Gen Z can’t get one
By Nick LichtenbergJune 29, 2026
8 hours ago
This summer’s heat is a live stress test for data centers—here’s what it’s revealing in real time
AIData centers
This summer’s heat is a live stress test for data centers—here’s what it’s revealing in real time
By Tristan BoveJune 29, 2026
8 hours ago
Lisa Cook and E. Jean Carroll win against Trump at the Supreme Court
NewslettersMPW Daily
Lisa Cook and E. Jean Carroll win against Trump at the Supreme Court
By Emma HinchliffeJune 29, 2026
8 hours ago

Most Popular

Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place
Success
Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place
By Sydney LakeJune 29, 2026
10 hours ago
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
5 days ago
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
Success
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
By Preston ForeJune 27, 2026
3 days ago
The retired college professor fighting a $313 trespassing ticket in Wisconsin thinks he's part of a national struggle
Environment
The retired college professor fighting a $313 trespassing ticket in Wisconsin thinks he's part of a national struggle
By Catherina GioinoJune 28, 2026
2 days ago
Ex-Google engineer says Larry Page, Sergey Brin and Sundar Pichai share the same trait—it's the lesson he swears by as a $7.2 billion AI CEO
Success
Ex-Google engineer says Larry Page, Sergey Brin and Sundar Pichai share the same trait—it's the lesson he swears by as a $7.2 billion AI CEO
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 28, 2026
2 days ago
Cristiano Ronaldo is soccer's first-ever billionaire: He went from begging for burgers outside McDonald's to landing a $400 million contract
Success
Cristiano Ronaldo is soccer's first-ever billionaire: He went from begging for burgers outside McDonald's to landing a $400 million contract
By Preston ForeJune 28, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.