Table of Contents

1. Overview

2. Who is a Boomerang Employee?

3. Benefits of Hiring Boomerang Employees

4. Challenges of Hiring Returning Employees

5. Step-by-Step Process to Creating an Effective Boomerang Employee Strategy

6. Final Thoughts

7. Related Resources

        i) Rehiring Interview Questionnaire

        ii) Boomerang Employee Evaluation Form

        iii) Employee Exit Survey

Overview

In a world marked by talent shortages and economic instability, more and more employers are becoming receptive to rehiring ex-employees or boomerang employees—and with good reason. These employees already possess institutional knowledge, are familiar with the corporate culture, and have strong ties with the company’s coworkers, clients, and stakeholders. If onboarded right, boomerang employees may be able to leverage their expertise, past relationships, and new perspectives to drive high-level innovation and positive outcomes for businesses.

So, should organizations tap into this trend of rehiring former employees considering the strategic edge boomerang employees provide in today’s intensively competitive market? If yes, what are the challenges of doing so, and how can companies tackle them?

This in-depth toolkit is designed to help employers cultivate a compelling boomerang employee strategy—from offboarding to re-screening, rehiring, & reintegration—to welcome former employees back to their workforce. Let's first understand what boomerang employees are and their impact on organizations.

Who is a Boomerang Employee?

A boomerang employee, also known as a returning employee or “comeback colleague,” is someone who previously left a company (voluntarily or involuntarily) and later returns to work for the same employer.

There can be a variety of reasons for why employees leave:

• They may leave to explore other promising opportunities, such as higher compensation, a better position/title, or a change in organizational culture.

• It may be a planned departure to pursue higher education or upskilling opportunities.

• They may leave to fulfill unavoidable personal commitments or responsibilities.

• They may leave to chase long-standing passions, alternative career paths, or fresh challenges.

• Employees may also be terminated or laid off by the company due to performance shortfalls, unstable economic conditions, or new restructuring policies.

As per a Harvard Business Review study, boomerang employees typically return to their former company around the one-year mark. However, there isn't a steadfast definition regarding this duration of absence (it could range from a few months to several years). The question is: why might they choose to boomerang to their original employers? Again, there are several reasons:

• Their new opportunity or role may not live up to expectations. The employment terms may have been misleading, growth opportunities may be fewer than advertised, the culture may not be aligned with the employee’s values, and so on.

• Employees who return after a hiatus may receive a higher raise than if they had stayed and received a salary hike or promotion.

• Employees who developed strong ties with coworkers, peers, and clients at their previous company may seek to rekindle those relationships by returning.

• They may have acquired the education or skills they left to pursue or addressed personal reasons/obligations, and thus, may be able to return to their former employer.

• Employees who left due to specific policies or cultural shortcomings—such as inflexible work arrangements—may seek to return if the company has since addressed those challenges.

• If the employee left (or was terminated) due to unfavorable economic conditions, they may seek to return when the market stabilizes. Case in point: According to the HBR survey, nearly 1 in 5 employees (20%) returned to their original employers after the pandemic.

Benefits of Hiring Boomerang Employees

There are several benefits to rehiring former employees:

1. Knowledge and familiarity with company practices

Returning employees possess first-hand knowledge and experience of their previous employer’s internal processes, products, policies, and values. This can be highly beneficial, as boomerangs can quickly reintegrate and start contributing with minimal training and support. It also allows employers to re-access the institutional knowledge that boomerang employees bring back with them and rekindle relationships with ex-coworkers, clients, and stakeholders.

    2. Greater likelihood of hiring a company fit

Due to their history, boomerang employees may already align with the company’s core values, mission, and culture. Employers may also be familiar with the employee’s abilities and potential, which can mitigate the risk of onboarding someone who isn't suitable.

    3. Lower associated costs

Rehiring an ex-employee may generally be the more economical option than hiring a new replacement because employers may be able to cut down costs on onboarding, orientation sessions, technical training, and cultural integration. HR managers may also bypass the lengthy process of searching, vetting, and recruiting candidates. Boomerang employees, too, may be able to leverage their past knowledge of procedures, communication norms, inner operations, team structures, etc., to dive into their roles almost immediately.

    4. Strengthened employer brand

An employee returning to their previous organization has a ripple effect on entire teams; it may reinforce trust in the company's culture, work environment, and growth opportunities. It may indicate that the company values maintaining positive connections with former employees, which can boost loyalty and retention.

    5. Enhanced skills and perspectives

Boomerang employees may return with new skills and qualifications, working elsewhere or pursuing higher education. Employers may leverage their new abilities, perspectives, more substantial network of peers, etc., to drive innovation within their organizations and improve business outcomes.

See: Rehiring Interview Questionnaire

Challenges of Hiring Returning Employees

Rehiring employees poses some potential disadvantages as well.

• Unresolved issues: If employers neglect to address issues that initially led to an employee leaving, they risk turnover if those problems resurface.

• Impact on existing employees: There is a potential for reduced morale and resentment among existing team members, particularly if the boomerang employee rejoins at a higher compensation or in a more influential position. It may hurt opportunities for progression for existing employees and disrupt team dynamics and workflows. 

• Pay restructuring: Boomerang employees often return with new skills, more industry experience, and proven qualifications. They will likely expect higher compensation and better benefits, which may require companies to adjust pay structures. 

• Reintegration challenges: Employees will likely face reintegration challenges when adjusting to any changes or updates the company has undergone in their absence. This can affect their sense of belonging and defeat the purpose of returning to an old employer with whom they share a history.

Step-by-Step Process to Creating an Effective Boomerang Employee Strategy

Here are 4 best practices for building a successful boomerang employee strategy to retarget and hire former employees while addressing the challenges of doing so:

    1. Creating a winning offboarding plan and staying connected

An effective boomerang hiring strategy—recognizing and retargeting valuable ex-employees—starts as the employee prepares to move on. Hiring managers must make sure they depart on good terms and can rejoin the company in the future, should they wish to. A constructive offboarding plan is key to accomplishing this. Here are a few guidelines to follow:

• Conducting an exit interview: This may allow hiring managers to investigate the employee’s reason for resigning, which could be retirement, personal obligations, professional aspirations, or something else. They may gain insight into employee grievances regarding the workplace, specific policies, or negative experiences with a colleague or manager. The knowledge and feedback gathered from exit interviews can help managers guide improvements in problem areas.

• Acknowledging the departure: HR managers must show appreciation for the employee’s efforts and contributions, whether through an email, note, or a placard. They may also host a formal farewell gathering or lunch so employees leave with positive memories and a strengthened professional bond.

• Offering references for new roles: Companies may help employees further their professional aspirations by vouching for their strong performance in front of new employers. This gesture of goodwill and genuine interest in their future endeavors will likely leave a positive impression and turn employees into ambassadors for the company.

• Staying in touch: Employers can remain connected to valuable former employees through professional platforms like LinkedIn, alumni networks, or direct emails. They may occasionally check in on them, acknowledge their successes, and provide information about new openings or opportunities at the company. According to a Gartner study, 35% of former employees want to be notified about opportunities with their previous organization. 

Departing with employers on a positive note and staying in touch with them long after they leave may ensure companies remain a top option for employees as they progress through their careers. For companies, this gives access to a substantial pool of future talent.

    2. Implementing an effective boomerang rehiring process

Like any other company hire, boomerang employees may need to undergo a hiring process, which includes a formal interview, onboarding formalities, training, and cultural reintegration. Here are some best practices to ensure effective rehiring:

• Interviewing rehires: Interviewing boomerang employees may require a different, more nuanced approach than interviewing a new candidate. Companies should closely evaluate the employee’s motivations for joining the company, reasons for their initial departure, and future expectations to avert the risk of a possible turnover. It is also essential to gauge the additional value, skill sets, and perspectives the former employee may bring to the organization and how they might benefit the company. Therefore, rehiring questions should be designed to cover these key areas to ensure informed decision-making and future alignment. 

• Reaching out to former employees: Companies should conduct due diligence when a boomerang employee reaches out to rejoin their workforce. They may contact former employers to gain insight into their experience working with the employee. They may also inquire about their recent work performance, unresolved issues, conflicts, cultural mismatches, and other relevant details potentially impacting their return. 

• Ensuring structured evaluation: When rehiring boomerang employees, bias can sneak into the evaluation. Former employees may be brought on board only if they're the best fit, not because they may be the most obvious choice due to their previous history. Employers must evaluate them against pre-agreed performance criteria while factoring in cultural and behavioral impact to ensure bias-free hiring.

See: Boomerang Employee Evaluation Form

• Ensuring effective onboarding and training: Whether employees were gone for a few months or several years, the company may have undergone key changes: they may have updated policies and procedures, restructured teams, implemented new technologies, and made cultural changes. This might require rehired employees to take up specialized orientation sessions and upskilling training to get up-to-date with the company’s current practices. Hiring managers should also ensure they receive onboarding (or reboarding) support, much like a new hire. The focus should be on security and protection protocols, well-being initiatives, performance evaluation metrics, updated technologies and methodologies, etc.

    3. Ensuring friction-free integration with teams

Companies should keep existing employees informed of their decision to rehire an ex-employee. If they are unaware and unprepared for the new addition or if the boomerang employee's return hurts their career growth prospects, it can foster resentment, reduce morale, and cause friction in the reintegration. 

• Managers can ensure they communicate the rationale behind rehiring former employees—whether it’s due to their specialized expertise, cultural fit, or past contributions—to explain how it benefits the organization and team members as a whole. This may prevent unnecessary speculation and consequences.

• Employers may also want to encourage existing employees to share any concerns they may have about the rehire. 

• If the rehire is rejoining at a higher salary than before, HR managers must proactively review pay structures to ensure existing employees in similar roles are earning appropriate compensation.

• Rehired employees may be encouraged to share their knowledge and skills with teammates.

    4. Mitigating the risk of turnover through effective retention and engagement

The turnover risk with boomerang employees can be high, especially if unmet needs remain. Employers must prioritize employee engagement and positive experience to ensure retention.

• Managers should be clear and transparent about what the role entails from the beginning so there are no disconnects or culture shocks when boomerang employees rejoin.

• HR managers should ensure employees feel welcome and valued in their positions. They may host team-building activities occasionally, regularly acknowledge and celebrate employee accomplishments, and schedule periodic check-ins to keep them engaged and driven.

• Employers should develop individualized learning, mentorship, and development plans for boomerang employees to ensure they have clear paths to promotion and progression.

Final Thoughts

For whatever reason they choose to return—whether due to unmet expectations in their new role, completion of education, upskilling, etc.—there are obvious benefits for employers who welcome back in-demand, proven talent to their organization. As long as they were a valuable asset to the organization and left on good terms, companies can safely entertain the prospect of having them return later.

However, while rehiring a valued employee can be smoother and quicker due to their history with the company and proven expertise, companies need to prioritize addressing past issues and ensure alignment on future expectations. A strong boomerang employee rehiring strategy is key to achieving this.

See: Employee Exit Survey