WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF BOOMERANG EMPLOYEES?
Boomerang employees are individuals who leave an organisation but then return after some time away. While some companies might hesitate to hire an ex-employee, others actively encourage them to come back. Why? Would you re-employee someone who had previously worked for your organisation? What are the benefits of boomerang employees?
- Access to a unique talent pool
The labour market is tight and, with job mobility at its highest rate since 2012, it’s important for organisations to tap into all available sources of talent. Connecting with previous employees – and rehiring them – could help you fill those vacancies.
- Reduced hiring costs
When prospective employees also happen to have worked for you in the past, you likely have easy access to them as well as privileged knowledge of their skills and abilities. And that means no headhunter fees and a condensed selection process. - Simplified onboarding process
Unless your organisation has undergone significant change since the employee left, onboarding should be relatively straightforward. You can expect boomerang employees to have a deep understanding of the company mission and values as well as connections with your people.
- Smooth transition into the role
Here again, boomerang employees will be able to tap into their prior knowledge and understanding of the business to help them transition into their new role.
- Fit with company culture
Cultural fit can be notoriously difficult to assess and predict. Even when hiring managers believe they have made a suitable hire, things may not pan out once the individual starts in the role. Not so with boomerang employees: they have already demonstrated a strong fit with the company culture and are likely to actively promote it from the day they return.
- Additional knowledge and skills
When an individual has spent time away from the company in another organisation, they should bring additional knowledge and skills with them when they return.
- Expanded professional network
Time spent working for another organisation will have provided boomerang employees with the opportunity to grow their professional network. Their connections will benefit them and also your business.
Boomerang employees may bring numerous benefits with them when they return to a former workplace. But as an employer, proceed with caution! You may not want every boomerang to come back. Always ensure you look back over an ex-employee’s previous record with the company to check for red flags. Assess their motivation and commitment to the organisation at interview. Are they likely to stay the course this time? And also consider whether today’s company is similar to the one they left. If not, the fit may be wrong. And you really want it to be right.
For more hiring insights and information, contact the professional team at Optimal Recruitment today on info@optimalrecruitment.com.au or 02 8416 4181.
