Organizations have traditionally advertised externally or looked to internal candidates to fill vacant positions. However, a third option is becoming increasingly common in this tight job market: rehiring former employees. These workers who return after having left a company are often called boomerang employees. There are several strategic reasons hiring boomerang employees is beneficial to an organization. And there are some risks that should be considered.
The Benefits
One obvious benefit of hiring a boomerang employee is the enhanced speed of hiring and onboarding. Boomerang employees are already familiar with the company, the job, and the people. Therefore, they tend to become productive more quickly. Their learning curve is much lower than an external hire’s curve because of their familiarity with the company. They also tend to integrate into the company culture more easily. This can lead to significant savings in the cost of recruiting, the cost of the job remaining vacant, and the cost of bringing an external hire up to speed.
Additionally, boomerang employees have been shown to outperform new hires, according to Cornell University researchers. They know what they are getting into and are typically more satisfied and committed than external hires. Having knowledge of the way an organization works is especially important in tasks that require collaboration across departments, and boomerang employees provide a distinct advantage over new hires, who must learn the company’s social systems from scratch. Thus, boomerang employees tend to perform at higher levels and be promoted more frequently than their new-hire peers.
The Risks
The biggest risk in hiring a boomerang employee is the fear that they will leave again. Therefore, it is important that both the employer and the employee address what will be different this time. Before rehiring a boomerang employee, consider why the employee left in the first place. If there were problem issues, have the circumstances changed so that the employee’s former concerns have been alleviated?
Also, consider why the employee wants to return. It is critical that both the employer and the employee clearly understand each other’s expectations and that the employer explain any changes in the company’s organizational structure, processes, and culture since the former employee left. Usually, however, employees who wish to return to an organization have left under circumstances other than finding their job intolerable. Perhaps they were offered a job that appeared too good to refuse and have found that the grass is not always greener. It is unlikely that a former employee will want to return to a position they found entirely unsatisfying.
How to Connect
The best practice for tapping into this helpful resource is maintaining communication with former employees who left on good terms. When an employee resigns, let them know that if their new opportunity does not work out, they are welcome to return.
Company leaders should nurture their relationships with former employees so that they feel they will be welcomed back if a suitable opportunity arises. One way to do this is to establish an online alumni network or periodically send a newsletter to former employees to keep them engaged in company happenings.
As long as the job market remains tight, it is likely that employers will continue to hire boomerang employees and take advantage of this significant resource.
Barbara Bagdon is an attorney for Employers Council.