HR: What’s your salary expectation? Candidate: ₦800,000 – ₦1,000,000 monthly. HR: You’re the best fit for the role, but we can only offer ₦700,000. Candidate: Okay, ₦700,000 is fine. HR: How soon can you start? Meanwhile, the actual budget for the role is ₦1,500,000. HR feels accomplished for negotiating a lower salary. Management is pleased about "cutting costs." But two months into the job, the employee discovers the disparity. What follows? Dissatisfaction. Disengagement. Disloyalty. Shortly after, the employee resigns for a better opportunity. The recruitment cycle starts all over again costing the company more in time, resources, and lost productivity. Lesson: Attracting top talent is one thing. Retaining them is another. If you truly value excellence, pay people what they’re worth.
