It smells of extortion to me because the reason for doing it is to use the offer as a threat.
> Seems like honest communication to me.
Extortion is honest communication, too. The existence of an offer doesn't do anything to help me decide whether or not I can go along with a pay increase. It only communicates that the employee wants to threaten me into agreeing to one.
In my opinion, the better way is to ask for the pay raise without mentioning the offer. If they I don't give them the raise and it's that important to them, then they should just take the offer.
> It is no different than giving customers a notice of price increase or giving contractors an option to bid.
I think it's very different from that, actually. You can require a raise as a condition to stay at the company without trying to use another offer as a weapon.
I guess to me, extortion or threat imply taking or degrading something you are entitled to. It doesn't seem like you think you are entitled to the work of the employee, so I'm honestly confused by the reaction.
At first I thought it was simply because it is presented as an ultimatum, but it seems like you have no problem being given conditions. Saying I want X to keep working here is acceptable, but the same exact statement with an offer weaponizes it.
If they have an offer they don't tell you about but have an otherwise identical request, is that less of a threat?
> Seems like honest communication to me.
Extortion is honest communication, too. The existence of an offer doesn't do anything to help me decide whether or not I can go along with a pay increase. It only communicates that the employee wants to threaten me into agreeing to one.
In my opinion, the better way is to ask for the pay raise without mentioning the offer. If they I don't give them the raise and it's that important to them, then they should just take the offer.
> It is no different than giving customers a notice of price increase or giving contractors an option to bid.
I think it's very different from that, actually. You can require a raise as a condition to stay at the company without trying to use another offer as a weapon.