Job Market's Good News! Hiring Boomerang Employees Is On The Rise

Boomerang hiring is soon going to be the buzzword in the job market. With businesses seeing the light of the day and companies on the verge of re-establishing their units, rehiring the old employees is the new 'It' thing at the workplace.

Companies that had laid off their employees due to pandemic are now rehiring their old employees (Boomerang employees). So, employees in industries like hospitality, retail, and financial services should get some relief in the coming times

Let's get a closer look at "Boomerang hiring"; its definitions, examples, benefits, and more.

What is Boomerang Hiring?

Boomerang hiring is a term used to describe the rehiring of an employee in a company. In today's job market, the idea that the employee has left the company to work somewhere else doesn't mean that he will not be an asset to the company in the future.

Many companies adopt the strategy of "Boomerang placements" because they fully recognize the various advantages of hiring a previous employee.

In a survey conducted by timesjobs.com, they've found that 85% of employers rehire ex-employees in their companies.

Below is A Great Example of a Boomerang Employee in the UAE

Lisa Welsh, director at Hill+Knowlton Communications, took a sabbatical from work to mend her broken heart in the year 2016. As an enthusiastic traveler, she wanted to be free and see where the journey would drive her.

 She sold everything she had in the UAE and spent around 9 months traveling across Asia, Africa, Europe, and America. She was challenging herself at 37 years old by doing scary things like climbing MT Kilimanjaro, doing a marathon in Kenya, and learning Muay Thai boxing in Thailand.

She wants to find herself mentally and physically healthy, gain new perspectives, and dive into new cultures.

This period helped her explore a new side of her personality. She got in touch with her old boss discussing her prospects of 'returning' to work. She rejoined the organization as a Managing Director. Being away had significantly influenced her position, where she utilized the experiences she had gained during her last nine months. 

So, being laid off, terminated, or even resigned doesn't mean the end of the road. This "away" period can help you strengthen your career to rejoin in a higher position.

How can companies get the ex-employees back?

As a business owner, bear in mind that as more employees are secure in the labor market, they will seek more growth. Losing the best employees isn't nice, but it's not a complete failure if there's a chance to get them back.

When your employee decides to leave for personal reasons, retirement, or another job in another company- and he is an ideal employee, ensure that you:

• Emphasize that your company doors are always open- say it explicitly to the employee that you will be happy if the new opportunity doesn't work out. He decides to rejoin your company someday.
  
  
• Suggest to be a reference- It will leave a very positive impact on the resigning employee if you offer to be a reference to verify his unique skills and talents. Even if he doesn't return to join your company, he will recommend more talented candidates they know to you.

• Maintain Relationships- LinkedIn, and other professional platforms, make it easy to get in touch with your former employees. Connect, encourage them in their new lives, and keep them updated with your company news.

• To balance the advantages and disadvantages of rehiring former employees, take advantage of his "Exit interview" and know his reasons for quitting. Was it for growth? Or for other problems that haven't been solved yet?

What are the advantages of hiring returning employees?

1. Less Onboarding Costs

Suppose a person willingly returns to work with you. In that case, he still understands and is familiar with the company culture and organizational processes of the workplace and the technologies and products you use. The cost of recruiting an employee could be high, so finding someone who does not need an onboarding process may be extremely beneficial, both financially and timely.

2. Developed Fresh Perspective

Between quitting the job and rejoining it, there is a high probability that workers have encountered some different workplaces, cultural backgrounds, and markets, carrying with them a range of new skills that he can use for your organization. If you are a customer business, returning employees will also bring partnerships and clients of immense value.

3. Risk-mitigation

Hiring a new candidate is risky. It pops into your mind tens of questions: Does he fit the position? How will his performance be? How will be his workplace behavior?

By hiring an ex-employee, you can quickly check his track record and define his future development prospects. The ex-employee had also left before and realized your company's advantages, so his wishes to go will be less than a new candidate.

4. Boost Trust in Your Company

When a former employee returns, it shows the staff that it's not perfect outside and boosts trust in your company, and it shows that you have a strong position in the market. This will also demonstrate to your staff that your organization truly welcomes rehiring its ex-employees, so this will leave them more committed to their responsibilities and workplace policies. The ex-employee will also add value through his gained new skills and experiences in other companies.

When not to rehire ex-employees?

While there are many advantages of recruiting former employees, the disadvantages accompanying this strategy still point out. Employers usually make this misjudgment by rehiring workers who were their juniors when they quit the company. When they return, they expect higher benefits and salary packages that will cost the company a lot. In this case, boomerang replacements will not be beneficial.

In some cases, companies develop new technologies, and bringing a boomerang employee, in this case, will not be valuable and cost the company more to offer training programs.

Additionally, if the employee has left for any unresolved issues, it will not be an intelligent decision to rehire him.

How to be the ideal Boomerang Employee?

If you're planning to change jobs,

• Don't terminate your relationship with the company
• Say the real reasons for quitting
• Inform your employer of your decision at the right time. They may offer other benefits to you.
• Be decent, hard-worker, and professional till the last moment. You don't know what the future holds.

If you've already left,

• Seize the chance to develop yourself on your return. Nowadays, businesses are continually looking for creative candidates who have taken more courses and internships and improved their skills and talents.
• Keep innovative. The boomerang employees are always at risk of experiencing the same routine they follow to accomplish their tasks. Break your way and be creative.
• Teach others. Try to build more professional networks during your career progression journey by guiding others around you physically (e.g., alumni network) and the internet. You don't know who will get in touch with you and start a successful career due to your guidance. Utilize social media's power to get in touch with HR professionals responsible for talent acquisition to hire the best competencies.

Finally, Boomerang Hiring Is a Win-Win Strategy

For Businesses,

During the latest economic crisis and as businesses seek every possible cost-cutting strategy, boomerang recruiting is a practical, cost-effective tactic. In the absence of a few minor imperfections, the procedure as a whole will be of considerable value to the company.

Although it's not sure that every valuable employee who leaves the company will come back, there is a possibility that some will strongly consider it—especially if they know they are sincerely welcomed. So, check the horizon for ways to recruit former employees who have left and to discourage talented staff from quitting their jobs.

Boomerangs build the company's image for job applicants and in the market as a whole; they affirm the company as an ideal work environment than the better opportunity for which the employee had initially been quit the organization. This improves loyalty for the business and also helps to boost the retention of existing workers.

For Employees,

In today's job market, most companies don't take your job quitting personally, and they have a different perspective from ex-employees. They consider them a contributor to the company's future. So, don't miss the opportunity of getting a job now and get in touch with your previous managers and colleagues to know if you can rejoin them.

You May Also Want to Know: How to reach the "Hire interview" by impressing the Applicant Tracking System first.  

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