ASK HR: I have a new job offer, but my employer says that I cannot leave

Q. I am working for an international magazine. When I got employed four years ago fresh from college, I was an amateur. The company has invested in me a lot, including paying for four very useful trainings. Two months ago, I got a better job offer, and when I talked to my boss about it, he told me that until they recover their investment, I cannot leave the company. This did not come up when the firm sponsored me for the training. What do I do?

Investment in employee training is largely for the purpose of enabling an organisation perform optimally, so, unsurprisingly, it is therefore common for organisations to expect a return on such investment. Needless to state, training also benefits the employees concerned in, among other ways, forming part of the capital they require for greater career mobility.

Some organisations bond employees officially for a given period of time in an effort to recoup the value of substantial training provided to them.

Although bonding employees has the potential to deliver the envisaged return, it is useful to remain aware that performance is not driven merely by holding employees in an organisation but also nurturing their engagement, without which productivity is undermined - there is a difference between detaining and retaining employees.

It would make the conversation with your boss easier if the value of the training you have attended and a reasonable period that you would require to be bonded could be determined.

Training bond terms should be clearly spelt out at the outset to avert disagreements arising later between the organisation and employees concerned.

Angrily telling employees that they cannot leave the organisation after training them without any prior indication of their obligations is counterproductive.

If you are certain that the job offer you have recently received is not only better than your current role but also the right next step for your career, it may help to hold a further conversation with your boss to explore whether some changes could be made to your current role to support your career growth and meet your expectations.

Bear in mind that even though you or a new employer might be prepared to immediately discharge obligations to your current employer, there are future career benefits of leaving an employer honourably, especially one who has amply invested in your professional development.

Consider not merely whether, but also how you should leave your current employer, if you must.