Meg worked at Company A for about a year — she enjoyed it, but her position didn’t quite fit her expertise and experience. When a job opened at another company that was a better fit, she gave her notice and moved on. But the new job, while technically a better fit, had superiors and employees who were impossible to work with. Because Meg stayed on good terms with her old employer, they informed her of another position that had arisen — one tailor-made for her background and at a familiar place.
Boomerang employees, also referred to as “comeback kids,” are those who have left an employer on good terms, for whatever reason, then come back later. There are pros and cons to bringing one of these former employees back into the fold.
- Bank on good experiences. It makes sense if you had a good experience with an employee before, chances are it will happen again. Plus, they already know the everyday routine and general layout, as well as any major objectives and goals you have, so that’s less time you must spend onboarding them as a new hire. Plus rehiring a solid performer has built-in perks; you already know they’ll do well and fit in with the team, which means less guesswork for you.
- Consider the talent pool. One of the biggest laments of today’s employers when it comes to hiring? A smaller pool of qualified employees than in years past. If you have the chance to bring in a boomerang employee whom you know does an excellent job, this may solve that problem. In addition, you will be bringing in someone who has acquired more skills while with a different employer and wants to find a new opportunity with your company.
- Consider the negatives. The fact that this person left your company and now plans to leave another company to come back to you may give you pause; however, at the very least, it’s worth some careful consideration. You may want to consider this person’s loyalty before taking them back. In addition, if this former employee left on any sort of bad terms with a fellow employee, assess that ahead of time as well. And make sure you’re hiring them because they truly are the right fit, not just because you want to hire a known commodity.
Boomerang employees present another talent pool to choose from, one that has the distinct advantage of having worked with you before. Take the decision to rehire with a grain of salt, but consider boomerang employees for your next hire–and make sure to contact the recruiting professionals at PrideStaff Thousand Oaks Ventura County for any of your hiring needs.
