A moral dilemma (new job)

pgi947

pgi947

pgi947

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Hi all!

I'll start with the backstory to this (I hope it makes sense).

Started working at this place I will call company A 4 years ago, 6 months into the start of the job the then owners sold the company and its assets to company B, with the owners of A residing with B as directors. Skip forward to late 2010 and the two former owners of A are forced to resign by company B as a major fraud investigation for the loss of £4m worth of equipment is missing. Shortly after that the owners from A/resigned directors from B start investing in a rival company which we will call company C. As soon as they start investing company B manages to get a 6 month and year trading bans on the two investors respectively, while the fraud investigation takes place. Skip again to present day and the trading bans are over and they are backing investing in the rival business, meanwhile at company B a new owner is set on turning the almost bust company over, pledging to invest over £100m into the place. The fraud investigation is still taking place and set to conclude in September 2012.

Now for my dilemma;

Company B have been very good to me over the years, as it stands I am one of only two specialist test engineers, one needs to be on site at all times to over-see client operations, currently making ~£31k a year. With the new owner I'm led to believe my wages will dramatically increase as well as better working conditions, by how much remains to be seen, I have endured allot of broken promises over the years. But at the same time have been fairly decent employers, for example late last year when my father was taken ill they allowed me to take what ever time I needed off to see him.

Company C; The former owners/directors of A/B are now investing heavily, and to be honest seem hell bent on sinking company B. One of their new interests/investments is the division I work in, realising the chance of plucking a test engineer with the certification required and that I have are pretty slim to just come walking in off the street I received a phone call from them earlier this afternoon. They are offering me in the region of ~£42k a year + completion bonus.

So do I head for the money or stick it out and hope for the best where I am? There is allot of bad blood between the to places and have been informed already that if I were to move then thats it for me and company B, they would never look to employ me again.

What happens if I move to C and the new investors are found guilty of the £4m fraud in september? Would there assets be frozen and I end up out of a job?

Its a real tricky one, kind of a head and heart situation. My head says stay put and wait it out, my heart says go for the money.

I hope that was understandable, I just wanted to leave names out of it :)

edit: I should also mention that should I leave B then there is a high chance of them loosing some valuable contracts as they would lack the required testers to carry out the jobs, as for C they wouldn't get the required contracts without a certified tester.
 
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pgi947 said:
What happens if I move to C and the new investors are found guilty of the £4m fraud in september? Would there assets be frozen and I end up out of a job?
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I think thats the deal-breaker, if the result of the investigation is you potentially out of a job.
 
Not really sure this counts as a moral dilemma as it doesn't really have a moral component to it, more a job security issue.
 
The morality of it IMO is to leave a secure job where I know I will be looked after, or to move to another place for more money, but be working for two guys that are at the moment viewed as criminals, cutting ties with the people I know and work with at the moment.

Apologies if 'Moral Dilemma' was/is the wrong term to go buy, its just what I thought of.
 
I was in a (sort of) similar situation once. I did the equivalent of going to company C and it all went **** up, and I ended up not being paid quite a bit of money. Should have stayed at the original company really as it caused me a load of grief.

If you want to keep your options open you need to tell company C that you won't consider any offer until the legal stuff is out of the way.
 
...and have been informed already that if I were to move then thats it for me and company B
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Have you told someone in work about this? For me, I'd be away from the shenanigans and off for greener pastures. I really wouldn't expect things to change very much. All of this infighting consumes money that won't be available for employees.

Also, what's the worry with moving? Are they further away, less stable (lol), known for high staff turnover?
 
PianoBasher said:
If you want to keep your options open you need to tell company C that you won't consider any offer until the legal stuff is out of the way.
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That almost is and isn't an option, from what I have been told C need to fulfil a contract job by the end of Feb with a view to other larger contracts being put in place - so they are under pressure to get people in to do the job and get it completed. On the other side of the coin, if September comes and go's and both places are still afloat I could make even more money, as presumably all going well for them C would have larger pressure intensive contracts to complete - which is my speciality :)

mk17 said:
Have you told someone in work about this? For me, I'd be away from the shenanigans and off for greener pastures. I really wouldn't expect things to change very much. All of this infighting consumes money that won't be available for employees.

Also, what's the worry with moving? Are they further away, less stable (lol), known for high staff turnover?
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Company C is literally a stones throw away from my current employers, I haven't told them anything yet, though I have been questioned a few times over the last couple of weeks asking if I had been approached, to which I said "not yet" as it was almost inevitable that I would be contacted at some point.

The worry comes from moving from stability, to potential instability, I know the investors at C are quite ruthless from my time with them at the start of my current job, they can go through a fair amount of staff (or did in the past) but the stakes are now very high for both places. I could make a shed load of cash until september and then....who knows.

I think my problem is I keep talking my self into it and then out of it :(
 
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Hard one that. Could make a lot more money for a few months then have no income or stay at a job with security. I would probably move but i love the doe :D
 
I would stay with Company B at least until September. It won't necessarily jeopardize your chances in future to be employed by Company C as they already know you from A/B.

How stable is Company B though considering its staff and clients are being poached?
 
Would it not be wise to talk to company B and explain what company C has offered? Tell them you would prefer to stay with them but would they be willing to increase your salary a bit?

Otherwise form company D and wipe them both out Harrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
 
Currently its relatively stable, as it stands my department is the only one that requires fully certified staff on site at all times, the other departments can cope with who ever really - which is reflected by my dept having the highest profit turnover. Provided the new owner of B isn't trying to pull the wool over anyones eyes high investment is likely, as the guy is supposedly worth over £800m (founder of a well known mobile phone retailer). Seemingly the new owner also has a few skeletons in his closet, though none on a par with £4m of fraud.


busman said:
Would it not be wise to talk to company B and explain what company C has offered? Tell them you would prefer to stay with them but would they be willing to increase your salary a bit?

Otherwise form company D and wipe them both out Harrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
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It has been running through my mind, but afaik the purse strings are currently closed while the take-over is completed, so there is a chance of a pay rise but its not guarantee. I will however let them know in the morning that I have been approached. Personell poaching is nothing new in the oil & gas sector, so I'd guess they have had to deal with this kind of thing before so you never know...

As for company D...well if someone wants to give me £300k+ to rent a property and buy testing equipment then feel free :D
 
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Its all well and good the new company waving the bigger salary at you, but if your current employers appreciate your loyalty then the future could be very bright.
 
busman said:
Its all well and good the new company waving the bigger salary at you, but if your current employers appreciate your loyalty then the future could be very bright.
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Is another point that was made to me durring the 'have they spoken to you' discussions last week, my boss claiming that those who stay loyal will be rewarded in due course.

I'm starting to lean towards staying put and sitting tight until September comes and then reviewing the situation.

I should have some update of sorts tomorrow when I break the news to my boss.
 
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