There has been a rise of employers hiring returning employees. Returning employers or also known as boomerang employees are “employees that have left an organisation for whatever reason and then rejoined the same organisation at a later date”.
These employees are a talent pool that organisations need whenever they’re facing a talent gap. But lately there is a rise of employees returning to their former employers.
WHY PEOPLE ARE EXCITED ABOUT RE-HIRING BOOMERANG EMPLOYEES
There are many reasons why employees leave in the first place, and the best way current job seekers can develop career growth is by looking for better opportunities with outside organisations.
With social media, it’s easier for employers to keep in touch with former employees. This opens the doors for them to come back.
There is also a shift in attitude as employers are now seeing more long-term benefits with returning employees.
The benefits of rehiring former employees can provide valuable insight into your organisation’s recruiting and on boarding processes. While it is strange, consider the following when hiring your next boomerang employee.
HR & RECRUITING ADVANTAGES
- It adds less stress and cost to the overall hiring and on boarding process.
David Almeda of Kronos’ says, “Employers hire people they know, or people they know know. Simply put, it’s less risky for them and it’s all about rolling the risk. What’s the attraction for employers and employees alike? For you, as an employee, it’s knowing what you’re getting into, so it removes the fear of the unknown, plus for both you and the employer, it’s an easier training ramp up rather than if you’re a brand new employee.” - It’s much easier and cheaper for an organisation to bring back a former employee who is already familiar with the organisation’s systems, such as HR software and company conduct.
- Having employees coming back gives a positive impact for your recruiting and retention efforts. It shows the outsiders how valuable your organisation is to an employee who has experienced work with other companies, yet made the choice to apply back to a former organisation. This can create great PR for your organisation.
- Through this rehiring, loyalty between the employee and employer has increased.
Boomerang Employees and Workplace Culture
Boomerang employees can share the skills they’ve developed outside the organisation with their colleagues.
- Returning employees can positively affect workplace cultures because they used to be a part of it. They know how the company functions and will take less time than new employees to start contributing.
- They can share the skills they’ve developed outside of the organisation with their colleagues. In turn, they can boost a collaborative culture by becoming a reliable resource for other employees to go to within the company.
- Boomerang employees can help increase overall engagement. Since they’re excited to be back with a familiar organisation and old friends, they feel more motivated in their work. They can become prime examples of what engagement should look like to other coworkers.
As companies battle for the top talent, boomerang employees can positively affect your organisation as well as motivate and influence your current employees to produce great work. This article is based on Boomerang Employees and Their Rise by Malcolm Rowlings.