The Future of Leadership/Leading Boomerang Employees

Boomerang Employees

A boomerang employee is someone who has previously left an organization for any sort of reason, and has since returned, looking to be hired again. These types of rehires have been on the rise since 2021, and have continually started to become more frequent. The Wall Street Journal reported that 4.5% of all new hires could be accounted for with boomerang employees.  In the past, these types of employees may have been looked at as disloyal, for they left the organization once already.  However, it appears now that boomerang employees provide a window into a company's strengths and weaknesses, and help you see why employees may have left and then came back.

Effects Boomerang Employees have on an Organization

The obvious benefit of a boomerang employee is the cost savings for the organization. Turnover can be incredibly costly, and hiring a boomerang employee can cost 60-70% less than a new hire. However, the benefits of these boomerangs go much farther. When a boomerang returns to an organization, they often perform better than they did prior to their departure, being able to rely on the previously gained institutional knowledge coupled with the new experience or education they received while away, combining the best of both worlds of internal promotion and an external hire. They also typically have higher overall job satisfaction and loyalty to the company because they see their contributions as valued by the organization. Most boomerangs are recruited back by senior managers or their previous colleagues and feel appreciated in their return.  When a boomerang employee returns, it is also an opportunity for an organization to renegotiate the psychological contract with an employee. If done well, an organization can address and even resolve the issues that first led the prior employee to leave, increasing that employee's dedication and loyalty to the firm.

Consideration when Hiring a Boomerang

There are a few things that should be considered when hiring a boomerang employee. It can provide potential benefits for your organization, or could cause potential problems as they re-enter the company. The first thing to consider during the hiring process, is the circumstances of how the employee left prior to coming back.  Depending on how they left, can potentially show how they plan on coming back, and the level of respect they have for the company itself. You may also want to consider what the employee's end goal is. Having an open conversation with them about why they left, what made them return, and what their goals are moving forward can help see if there is a strong enough foundation to be built by bringing them back. Finally, it may be useful to consider the current employees at the organization, and the boomerangs past relationship with them. This could be the relationship between them and their past manager, and if they were to be working for that manager again. Any poor relationships could potentially follow with rehiring someone. Overall, many things should be considered when bringing back an employee who has previously left, and by doing so, you can set yourself up for success.

Effectively Leading Boomerangs

Boomerang employees represent a unique portion of any organization. Although boomerangs need less direct supervision, they aren’t a “set and forget” hire and still require a significant amount of attention. In choosing to return to an organization, boomerang employees have reevaluated the psychological contract with their organization, and in doing so their perception of their work has changed. Boomerang employees are more likely to go above and beyond in duties outside of the standard job role than employees who stay at a firm. However, this improved performance by boomerang employees hinges on the organization’s willingness to meet their needs. It is important for an organization to address the issues, both positive and negative, that caused the boomerang to leave in the first place. Boomerang employees have the unique advantage of being part of the in-group of a workplace culturally, while having external perspective. Although many organizations have policies preventing the hiring of previous employees, changes in the labor market make boomerang employees not just an attractive option, but a necessity in hiring practice. Overall, leaders should always strive to make their organizations somewhere employees are happy to return to.