Not long ago, many companies had policies that either restricted or forbade rehiring boomerang employees. However, that has begun to change. It’s no longer the norm for employees to stay at one job for the long term. Additionally, the great resignation has led hiring teams to rethink such restrictive policies.
If your company has a policy against rehiring ex-employees, it may be time to reconsider. There are benefits to being open to boomerang employees. However, it’s also important to follow some best practices if you do.
What Is a Boomerang Employee?
A boomerang employee is a person who is interested in returning to work for a former employer. These are mostly people who previously left voluntarily. However, it isn’t entirely unheard of for people to apply to return to employers when they have been terminated or furloughed.
Should You Rehire a Boomerang Employee?
Imagine you receive an application from a former employee. Should you consider them for an open position or immediately discard their resume? That depends on various factors. As a general rule, people who were good employees when they left will be good employees when they return. Unfortunately, problematic workers tend to remain problematic.
Here are some things to consider as you decide whether to proceed with a boomerang employee or not:
- Did they have good relationships with their coworkers?
- Did they leave their job for a positive reason (new job, returning to school, family)?
- Were they terminated for cause (insubordination, poor performance, attendance issues)?
- Were they terminated due to budget cuts or other reasons that don’t reflect on their skills or character?
- When the worker left, did they give appropriate notice?
If they are available, consider reviewing the employee’s exit interview. This will reveal quite a bit about their feelings towards the company and whether they will be a good cultural fit.
Benefits and Drawbacks of Rehiring a Former Employee
Should your hiring policies be more welcoming when it comes to boomerang employees? You’ll have to weigh the benefits and drawbacks.
The Benefits
Many hiring teams find that the benefits of hiring ex-employees are absolutely worthwhile.
Better Understanding of Company Culture
Company culture is a huge indicator of employee success and retention. When you rehire a former employee, they’re likely to still understand your culture. If they want to return, it shows they are willing to work within the work environment you’ve created. That reduces the likelihood that they’ll leave in the future due to poor cultural fit.
Sends a Positive Message to Existing Employees
The fact that somebody is willing to return to your company reflects very well on management and professional development opportunities. If you have team members who are considering moving on to other jobs, they may see this as a positive sign. A returning worker may remind other workers that it’s worth sticking around.
Save Time and Money on Training and Onboarding
As long as you haven’t made significant changes to policies and procedures, you may save time and money by onboarding rehires. That’s pretty significant, as the average training cost for new hires is around 4K. If you rehire an employee, they may be able to be productive almost immediately.
The Drawbacks
Be aware that there may be issues to overcome. Take these into consideration to determine whether a rehire is worthwhile or not.
Higher Likelihood of Attrition
When compared to both internal and external hires, boomerang employees are most likely to leave their jobs again. Be especially wary if the factors that caused a returning applicant to leave in the first place haven’t changed. For example, if someone left due to a lack of flexibility, they are likely to leave again if you still have a fixed-schedule policy.
Boomerang Employees May Struggle with Changes
Returning employees may fit right in if things have remained the same, but what happens if there have been major changes? Boomerang employees often cling to old ways of doing things. They may also expect to be treated as senior employees simply because of their previous history with the company.
Poor Performance Creep
Unfortunately, boomerang employees aren’t just more likely to leave again; they are also more likely to become poor performers. This may be due to bad habits creeping up again or frustrations bubbling to the surface.
Old Issues May Not Be Resolved
Sometimes, there can be a bit of a honeymoon phase after a previous worker is rehired. Unfortunately, this often doesn’t last. If management and the rehire haven’t gone over and settled old issues, the discontentment is going to crop up again. This could lead to performance problems. Additionally, previously unresolved conflicts with coworkers could become a breeding ground for strife and resentment.
Alternatives to Hiring Boomerang Employees
The choice to rehire employees doesn’t have to be a binary decision. There are some alternative approaches you can take. These include:
- Addressing the returning employee’s reasons for leaving in the first place
- Communicating with the applicant’s previous manager and coworkers
- Hiring on a temporary or contingency basis
- Reviewing organizational changes with rehires to ensure they are still a cultural fit
By taking these steps, you will be able to make a more informed decision about rehiring a boomerang employee.
Helping Boomerang Employees Succeed
If you decide to rehire a worker, it’s important to commit to their success. It may be helpful to pair them with a mentor in lieu of the traditional onboarding process. This person may be able to get them up to speed without forcing them to endure a repetitive training process.
Consider the rehire’s talents, goals, and personality. Even if somebody struggled to succeed in one position with one manager, they might thrive in another role.
