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Company asking to return investment if initiative wasn’t successful

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Company asking to return investment if initiative wasn’t successful

I was going to host a career fair for a company that never had one in their 25 years of existence. I prepared a proposal and submitted it to my CEO for approval. She approved it.

At the last minute, she told me and my team that if the career fair wasn’t successful, we would have to pay back what the company invested in the fair and if it was successful, she would give us a bonus. When she said this on our zoom call, I was stunned. She looked at me and asked why I was not responding. I told her I had never gotten this type of proposal before. She then said no to the fair.

I let it be because if the company I work for would present such an absurd proposal. this is not the company for me. I have actively started my search.

Any thoughts or insights would be appreciated.

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  1. Megan Leasher

    I have literally never heard of a company doing such a thing. Absurd to me, too. Good luck with your search.

  2. Anonymous

    You are doing the right thing. Any company that proposes something this absurd is not worth working for. If they didn't like your proposal or didn't think it would work, they should have said so and tried to give you some direction to improve things. I've heard of bonuses for success and even threats of being fired, especially if a person has been given multiple chances that failed but never requiring a person to pay back the project's expenses. I've never liked the "whip and chair" management style.

  3. Anonymous

    Yes, probably time to leave.

  4. Anonymous

    Wow. I've been working a long time and right when I think I've heard it all, I clearly haven't! Your CEO is an idiot or clearly in cognitive decline. She approved the proposal. If it doesn't work out, that investment loss is on her (which, btw-the business would write off on their taxes). Take your talents elsewhere. She doesn't deserve you.

  5. Anonymous

    If the company is not willing to invest in new strategies they will not invest in you. Understanding the fair would be a cost to the company it sounds like the CEO isn’t interested in new ideas. Even if they declined the event it would make sense the CEO ask for other cost effective ideas. Update your resume and seek a company that can support ideas and be an attractive company to others. No company should ask for money out of your pocket on behalf of their company.

  6. Anonymous

    I hate it when leader ship uses that “skin in the game “approach inappropriately. You are right to be appalled. Your “investment” would be in any after hours work you did around the job fair or other workload increases because of the job fair, and your résumé credibility for either being able to indicate it was a success, or if it wasn’t a success, not being able to take credit for it. Those are all “skin in the game”. The fact that they outed them selves on a conference call was especially poor form on their part. Good luck with your next job.

  7. GirlBossanova934974

    Is this CEO for real? Did she just fall off the turnip truck last night? Employees are not shareholders. It is NOT heads I win, tails you lose. I would be out the door ASAP! As a small business owner myself, I find this sort of CEO behavior quite offensive. If the CEO had some sense, you would hand out bonuses for employees hired. Staffing agencies ae expensive. Hunting for employees off the internet can be expensive. Calculate the savings and treat your employees with some RESPECT!

  8. Anonymous

    All I can say is “huh??” They would have you pay back from your department budget or personal funds?? How can they account for that in their budget.? This sounds darn weird and fishy. I agree with you. Clearly their agenda is not aligned with yours. Good for you for recognizing.

  9. Anonymous

    She wasn't going to support it, she just wanted you to say no thanks and walk away and then she could say to others that you didn't believe in it.

    Stay employed, but look very hard for a new job - if your boss can't grow a backbone and deal with adversity directly ( if the budget had been cut) or can't support her people, then that is not the place to work.

  10. Chelsea Adams

    That was such a ridiculous thing to say; you're an *employee*, not a *partner* or *co-owner*. If it succeeds, the bonus she would give you would be at her discretion, while you and your team would have to eat the entire operating cost of a career fair for a business? That scale doesn't balance in any universe.

    No wonder she needs a hiring initiative, she sounds /super lovely/ to work with.

    I'm sorry you're going through this, though; I can't imagine how frustrated you feel, but I know I would feel betrayed, dismissed, and angry.

    If she can't put her money where her business is, then she doesn't deserve employees like you. Good luck on your search!

  11. Anonymous

    I love this response.

    I will start using “/super lovely/” in this manner also. ?

  12. Anonymous

    No thoughts really needed on this one. Good move on your part!

  13. Anonymous

    You are doing the right thing by starting your search. I can't imagine any career fair, no matter how professional and enticing, would be successful when the CEO has this attitude. Who would want to work for this company? I imagine the entire reason for a career fair proposal is because the company already has a hiring deficit. Sounds like there is a good reason for that.

  14. Anonymous

    Absurd is absolutely right!! Hiring a new employee is an investment. If the employee doesn’t work out do they ask the employee to return their paychecks? And in what universe does an employee pay a company for the company to invest in itself??? I hope your job search goes well and you find a place with competent management.

  15. Anonymous

    Move on, that kind of CEO doesn’t deserve you.

  16. Paul Peterson

    Just curious - what was the criteria for success?

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