Boomerang Employees – oh dear, another new-fangled term to get my head around? Not this time, this is an easy one, a boomerang employee is a candidate who has previously left your employment and returns. This once considered traitorous action i.e. leaving a company was usually followed by the words of a current furniture store advert – when they’re gone, they’re gone. Not anymore!
It’s all change. As the French say, it’s not goodbye is Au Revior.
We are fully aware a job is no longer for life; the recession made that crystal clear. We also know people are looking for variety. 82% of respondents in a recent survey mentioned they had been with their company less than five years. Many of these same people are happy to recommend their current company as a great place to work, they are not unhappy they are just looking for a new challenge to try an international location, further develop their skills, gain staff management experience perhaps, the reasons are endless. At least 45% of these candidates are happy to return to a company for whom they have previously worked.
Why would you rehire a previous employee or Boomerang Employee?
We are not saying you would rehire everyone who has previously worked for you, but maybe employ the Marie Kondo school of thought ‘Does this item bring me joy?’ Do the thoughts of this former employee bring you joy or at least invoke positive thoughts – a great team member? A solution provider? Did they add value? Do you have the right role for them now?
Improved skill set – having left for another role, this potential rehire should be able to offer a further developed skill set than before, a new outlook, more ideas.
Low risk – they know the company culture, they fitted in before and you were potentially sorry to see them go, so they should be able to ‘hit the ground running’ on their return
Low cost – hopefully you will have identified the candidate yourself and not had to incur the cost of a recruitment firm. No fees involved, little re-training into the company culture, your values are already aligned.
Quicker turnaround time -
Positive message – firstly it can indication to current employees that the ‘grass in not always greener’, a boomerang has gone out tried another company and realised things are much better with you. It also demonstrates your company sees the value is training people well enough to leave but you have created a culture so great people want to return.
So, mind how they leave – as before, candidates are increasingly likely to consider going back to a former employer when they have gained more experience elsewhere - companies should look at departing employees less as a ‘former staff member’ and more as a ‘likely future hire’. Stay in touch with former-employees and think how valuable they could be with five more years’ experience under their belt when they’re ready to come back. A company’s ‘alumni’ is an ideal pool from which to search for candidates.
