I've been on both sides of it several times. I've counseled several employees on what I thought of their external prospects (generally and for specific job listings) and sometimes that ends up with, "Yeah, I think you oughta go for that one." Other times, it ends up with "Here's what I see for you here; here's what I see there; you have to decide."
On the other end, I've told four different bosses that I was either considering looking or actively looking, and why. Sometimes that ends up in me changing jobs; sometimes it doesn't because we can address what isn't working for me or reach a middle ground that works.
I think people assume far too much ill intent on the part of managers. To me, I want you working for me because you want to be doing the work we're doing and are happy with the pay we're paying. If you're not happy, you're not going to do your best work, you're not going to grow as much as you are capable of, and selfishly, the company is not going to get the best output from you. I don't need everyone to be ecstatic and grinding away with perfect devotion, but I generally want people to be happy (for them, for me, and for the company).
From that, you'll correctly guess that I've 100% had employees reserve conference rooms to take interviews. It's no problem in my book. (Other employees: the first I knew they were looking was when they handed me a resignation letter. That's also perfectly OK; your business is your business.)
I don’t suspect I’ll intent. But once you’re not playing to the illusion of any sort of long term, other people won’t invest in you as much (peers and managers). Some jobs tolerate this day to day transactional nature well, others not so much.
> I think people assume far too much ill intent on the part of managers.
Not ill intent, just basic human fallibility. I would be worried that my manager takes it personally, and has difficulty trusting me going forward. So I would be hesitant to do something that I fully expect to be severely career-limiting should I decide not to pursue this other opportunity.
It's not entirely dissimilar from how most people aren't comfortable being in an open relationship. Wanting one's partner to be monogamous generally isn't about carrying ill intent toward them. It's more likely to be about everyday human insecurity.
This is not the norm. A petty person might hear of an employee interviewing and do any number of things. It would be what an old boss called a “career limiting move.”
On the other end, I've told four different bosses that I was either considering looking or actively looking, and why. Sometimes that ends up in me changing jobs; sometimes it doesn't because we can address what isn't working for me or reach a middle ground that works.
I think people assume far too much ill intent on the part of managers. To me, I want you working for me because you want to be doing the work we're doing and are happy with the pay we're paying. If you're not happy, you're not going to do your best work, you're not going to grow as much as you are capable of, and selfishly, the company is not going to get the best output from you. I don't need everyone to be ecstatic and grinding away with perfect devotion, but I generally want people to be happy (for them, for me, and for the company).
From that, you'll correctly guess that I've 100% had employees reserve conference rooms to take interviews. It's no problem in my book. (Other employees: the first I knew they were looking was when they handed me a resignation letter. That's also perfectly OK; your business is your business.)