Boomerang employees: Is rehiring right for your company?
What is a boomerang employee? Just like the name sounds, boomerang employees are employees who return after leaving a company. While the reasons behind their departure in the first place vary considerably, these former employees share a standard bottom line – they want to come back.
The question becomes whether rehiring is in the organization’s best interest. Before extending an employment offer, let’s examine what to consider about boomerang workers.
Why are you back again?
When an employee leaves, the worker typically has a reason for doing so. The same holds when employees return. Some common scenarios include:
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The grass wasn’t greener.
A new position, employer, or industry may sound like a good opportunity. When individuals try it out, they may discover it does not meet expectations or is not a good fit. Their old job looks more appealing.
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The Great Resignation wasn’t so great.
The COVID-19 pandemic led many people to reevaluate their work and life choices. Actions made while caught up in the widespread spirit of change may not seem so plausible or desirable as the dust settles in the aftermath. (“Nobody told me how little money freelancers make after paying taxes and covering their health insurance.”) Research presented in Harvard Business Review (HBR) shows internationally that about 20 percent of workers who quit their jobs during the pandemic have since returned to their old employer.
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Circumstances change.
Staying home with the kids drives you bonkers. New medicine brings a serious illness under control. The death of an elderly parent eliminates the need for caretaking. A part-time job’s paycheck cannot stretch far enough. The family hates rural life and moves back to the city. Retirement bores. Exploring a return to a previous employer makes sense when these scenarios occur.
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The person changes.
Armed with a new degree, improved skill set, or more extensive work history, the former employee now qualifies for different or higher roles at his ex-company.
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The organization changes.
A lousy manager goes elsewhere. Initiatives to revamp company culture land the employer on a “great places to work” list. Telecommuting opportunities open up. Higher pay across the board goes into effect. Returning becomes more attractive when factors that influenced someone to depart the first time are rectified.
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The new job fell through.
More than one employer has seen previous employees desperate for a paycheck beg to return after losing their new position. (Be especially careful here. The new employer might have rescinded the offer because of something discovered in a background check. Conduct your own during the hiring process.)
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Parting was involuntary.
Former workers who were laid off during tough times or restructured out of a position during a merger likely did not want to leave in the first place. Since then, they may have followed developments at your company and waited for an opportunity to rejoin.
What’s in it for the company?
Employers are typically only thrilled when workers leave if they are losing a pain in the neck or a mediocre employee. Departure disrupts operations, and the human resources department needs to invest time and money into filling the vacancy. Why, then, should the organization consider these “defectors”?
For starters, the continuing low unemployment rate leaves many businesses struggling to fill openings. Bringing back a former employee could relieve burdens on current team members and improve productivity. HR professionals gain time to devote to matters beyond talent acquisition.
Already familiar with many aspects of company culture and procedures, returning employees go through the onboarding process faster than new employees. Generally, fewer concerns about “fit” exist because both employer and employee know one another.
Likewise, fewer performance concerns should exist with a known entity. The odds are high that someone who showed up on time, met deadlines, and turned in quality work the first time around will repeat this behavior.
The boomerang employee may even improve the work environment. An emotionally intelligent returnee liked by others on staff may enhance teamwork, help resolve conflicts, and boost morale. Or, the person may have acquired valuable new skills or experiences during the time away that they can now use here.
Should you rehire a former employee?
Just because someone who left the company wants to return does not mean the person is entitled to her old job or even a new position. While plenty of valid reasons exist to consider hiring boomerang employees, smart employers consider each individual case carefully.
Start by examining the departure. Was it on good terms? Company policy may prohibit rehiring anyone who failed to provide two weeks of notice before quitting. Likewise, think twice about anyone who caused a scene or burned bridges on his way out. Bringing that person back into the work environment could cause discord or discomfort among the team.
An obvious consideration is how well the person performed the first time around. Taking back a superstar makes sense, but rehiring a lackluster worker whose presence has not been missed is highly questionable.
Then, there is the matter of whether or not an appropriate opening exists. The old position may have been filled, eliminated, merged with another role, or redefined to require new skills. HR professionals need to look at the boomeranger as carefully as they would any possible new hire to see if competencies match vacancies.
Conducting in-depth interviews to understand motivations and address past concerns
Thorough conversations help us better understand the personal and professional reasons the applicant wants to return. Ask interview questions about what the individual has been doing since leaving and why he no longer wants to remain with a current employer. This will help us sense whether coming back is a strategic move on his career path or simply a place to go because he needs a job. The latter could signal a flight risk or a predisposition to disengage.
Talk, too, about factors behind the worker leaving your company initially. While exit interview notes likely contain some insights, the conversation can expand on them and possibly offer additional reasons. If problems with his direct manager influenced the decision to leave, why does the former employee want to work under this supervisor again? If he found the pay or perks unsuitable, what makes them satisfactory now? The boomerang employee may have shifted priorities, matured, or otherwise acquired a different outlook. It is also possible that the same things that bothered him before will continue when he returns, and he will be out the door again soon.
Words of caution before bringing back a former employee
Companies that decide rehiring someone is in the employer’s best interest need to do a few things before extending a job offer:
- Conduct a new background check. Better safe than sorry.
- Contact the last employer. The candidate might not be telling the truth about his time there.
- Spell out duties, salary, step on the company ladder, vacation allotment, and anything else. The boomerang employee may assume he is simply sliding back as if he never left; the organization may have a different perception.
- Get a sense of how colleagues would feel. If mention of the name draws disgust, consider how the return could impact teamwork or company culture.
- Ensure fairness. Organizations that want a former employee back may boost their salary or offer better employment conditions. Resentment will build if these things do not align with what those currently on staff receive. Existing workers may wonder if leaving (or threatening to) is the best way to obtain a pay increase or gain telecommuting opportunities.
Should you court former workers?
HBR reports that more than a quarter of all “new” hires are boomerang employees returning to a former employer after a stint somewhere else. Indeed, an organization is often genuinely sorry to see an employee leave. Great performers can be challenging to find, or a specific in-demand skill set can be complex to replace. Actively offering a way back into the organization makes sense.
Use the exit interview as a time to keep the door open. Express gratitude for contributions to the company. Let them know the organization would welcome them to reapply should their interests or circumstances change. (Do not promise them a job, as that might not be possible or in the company’s best interests down the line.) Give the exiting employee confidence that hard feelings do not exist and that return inquiries will be taken seriously.
Some employers actively contact ex-employees as part of their talent acquisition efforts. Managers or HR professionals may send occasional emails to inquire how things are going or to wish someone a happy holiday. The company may even consider pitching the idea of rehiring directly through contact at the one-year mark of leaving – a natural milestone when employees frequently reflect on their careers.
Creating a monthly electronic or paper newsletter is a great way to keep former workers informed about organizational developments, successes, and openings. Companies can also encourage former workers to follow them on LinkedIn and other social media.
Some large organizations even operate an online platform where their global alumni network with one another and with current staff members. Building relationships promotes a sense of still connecting to the company, which may ultimately influence the decision to boomerang back.
