Keeping Suzanne Chalmers
KEEPING SUZANNE CHALMERS
I. INTRODUCTION
CASE DESCRIPTION
Suzanne Chalmers, one of API’s top software engineers, asked Thomas Chan, the vice-president of software engineering at Advanced Photonics, Inc. (API), for a private meeting.
Thomas Chan has seen this before, when good and valued employees asked for private meetings with him, to end by announcing that they wanted to quit. Reasons for leaving the company were anything from long hours, stressful deadlines, time needed to decompress or time needed to spend more time with their families.
Thomas Chan assumes that the real reasons for the staff leaving was making too much money too fast, giving employees financial independence and less motivation for hard and prolonged work.
During the meeting, after Suzanne Chalmers announced that she decided to leave the company, Thomas Chan tried to persuade Suzanne Chalmers to remain with API by offering her one of the following:
- Giving her up to three months unpaid leave, with full paid benefits, so that she will have time to recharge batteries;
- Workplace improvements – newest computer technology or a larger workspace with better park view;
- 25 per cent pay increase and more stock options.
Thomas Chan even tried to appeal to Suzanne Chalmers’ loyalty feelings, by telling her that she was one of API’s valued employees and the company would suffer if she left now.
Suzanne Chalmers responded by saying she did not have problems with her workplace or working in API. Suzanne Chalmers admitted that she received calls from other companies, and some of them offered more money. Other companies who offered a lower salary, tried to lure her with the promise of higher potential gains in stock options. Suzanne Chalmers promised Thomas Chan that she would consider the salary revision and the increased stock options offer.
Two days later, Suzanne Chalmers tendered her resignation.
Thomas Chan learned later that after several months of travelling with
I. INTRODUCTION
CASE DESCRIPTION
Suzanne Chalmers, one of API’s top software engineers, asked Thomas Chan, the vice-president of software engineering at Advanced Photonics, Inc. (API), for a private meeting.
Thomas Chan has seen this before, when good and valued employees asked for private meetings with him, to end by announcing that they wanted to quit. Reasons for leaving the company were anything from long hours, stressful deadlines, time needed to decompress or time needed to spend more time with their families.
Thomas Chan assumes that the real reasons for the staff leaving was making too much money too fast, giving employees financial independence and less motivation for hard and prolonged work.
During the meeting, after Suzanne Chalmers announced that she decided to leave the company, Thomas Chan tried to persuade Suzanne Chalmers to remain with API by offering her one of the following:
- Giving her up to three months unpaid leave, with full paid benefits, so that she will have time to recharge batteries;
- Workplace improvements – newest computer technology or a larger workspace with better park view;
- 25 per cent pay increase and more stock options.
Thomas Chan even tried to appeal to Suzanne Chalmers’ loyalty feelings, by telling her that she was one of API’s valued employees and the company would suffer if she left now.
Suzanne Chalmers responded by saying she did not have problems with her workplace or working in API. Suzanne Chalmers admitted that she received calls from other companies, and some of them offered more money. Other companies who offered a lower salary, tried to lure her with the promise of higher potential gains in stock options. Suzanne Chalmers promised Thomas Chan that she would consider the salary revision and the increased stock options offer.
Two days later, Suzanne Chalmers tendered her resignation.
Thomas Chan learned later that after several months of travelling with