Hi, this is our Ask Me Anything segment where we tackle a question you have sent us. Our listener quaint sent one to us and we're going to talk about it. He's in a close knit team of about 15 people and they're in the banking sector. One of the senior managers came across an opportunity in a competing firm and has floated the idea to 5 people in the team, including Queen. Now no one has a non-compete or a non-solicitation clause in their contract, but they're concerned about the fallout when
they announced their resignation. Before we could record this AMA, Quin wrote back to me that one of the directors that he wants to work with pulled out saying that he prefers the stability of the current job but may move in 9 months' time. Quinn is not sure what to do now. Should he move? And if he does, will this mass exodus look bad for all of them.
I think Tiffany, this is a very interesting situation. 15 people are moving
together. Yeah, 15 people in the team, but about 5 people are going to move, so a third of them are going to move.
So it's like the first
batch, batch. Who knows, there may
be
more.
I think just based on this situation, right, my suspicion is Quinn may be seeing things from perhaps a rose. The lens of a happy family working together, but I think in reality it really doesn't work that way. Yeah. Usually most of big groups of people moving across competing firms, they don't really happen. When they break it up into like batches of the 1st 5, sometimes there's a reason
why they break you into the batches, right? Certain things are maybe The first group of people are the ones that they really, really want, and then after that, things may change.
It's like nice to have, but then I feel bad that we didn't bring you across. So we kind of floated the idea as well.
Yeah, so that's what I mean by the rose-tinted lenses. Usually the higher, maybe they prefer certain employees and then they want them to come as the first batch. The rest is like see how. I think also when such moves are being discussed, right, it's not just the demand side that may change, but it's also even on the employee side, the supply side, the supply side. In different life stages, different tenure in the company. Some of them might feel that, OK, if some people in
my team move on, I have opportunities. Oh yes, that's true. If I stay on, the loyalty may be rewarded. I'm be able to progress further, there's a gap, you see. So it's not realistic to say everybody will move together for the same thing.
I think the sound of it at the start sounds very good because it sounds like very spartan moment, like we are going to go and then everybody is like, move, judge that kind of stuff, but you're right. Because there might be people who are, let's say parents or who have loans and they might go, you know, I would prefer the stability, like one of the directors
that he mentioned, right, would prefer the stability. And I think when he said I might move in 9 months' time, I think that person is also sussing out because what if things change within the current company if he gets a promotion like you say, he might not move or if the company decides, OK, this is not very, yeah, there's not double bootload, we are not going to increase headcount, then maybe he will move. But whatever is the case.
There are people who want the stability. They don't really want the lure of going to something that is new, something that pays well now, because they want something that it's like bird in hand, right? You have the bird in hand. Why do I want to shake my own foundation. So you're right, I think maybe what Quin can do is to think where is he at at this point in his career. Does he need the stability or
Does he want to try something different? So move not because it's like a spartan moment, but you know, do it because he wants to. I mean, would you say that would be your advice as a career counselor?
Exactly. I think when we take ownership of our own career, we think for ourselves and not just rely on other people and what they are doing. It puts the ownership of career into our own hands and we are more convinced and convicted, committed towards how we want our career to move forward. I mean, just imagine, right, if today Quin makes a move across and then he realizes that actually the grass is not greener on the other side.
Then where do you put that blame? Do you blame that because everybody went, so that's why I also followed on and it's not working out for me, but it's working out for everybody else. I think it's important to think for yourself so that you have the ownership. Good thing is work relationships can progress into friendships outside of work. So the relationships that Queen, you built up with your 14 other people on the team, it will last past the companies that you are in, no matter
where you are at. So continue to build that into a friendship, perhaps then you won't miss them that much.
Yeah, exactly. Now, Quaint, I hope our conversation has given you some clarity on what to do. Let us know what you decide. We're really very curious. If like Quint you have a work-related question, do write into us. We're at CNA podcasts at Medcorp.com.sg. You can also find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. The team behind the Work It podcast is Christina Robert, Joan Chan, Juani Johari and Sai Ye Win. Sound mixing by Carrie Lim, video by Hanida Amin. I'm Gry and
I'm Tiffany. Here's wishing you a good work week ahead.