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Is the Boomerang Employee Right for Your Opening?

Here’s the scenario. A former employee is asking to be rehired and wants to fill a vacant job opening. While rehiring “boomerang employees” was generally frowned upon in the past, it has become more acceptable in recent years (especially in a job market featuring minimal qualified applicants.)

In fact, a national HR study found that “76 percent of employers are more accepting of hiring boomerang employees today than in the past. “ Here are three main questions to guide your final decision.

Did they leave in good standing?

One of the biggest issues for employers is the lack of loyalty they feel when an employee left their company for greener pastures. It shows the individual is willing to jump ship for a better opportunity. But what’s most important is how your former employee left.

  • Did they put in proper notice?
  • Were they professional and conscientious?
  • Did you part on good terms where everyone was civil?

If the answer is yes to these questions, you’ll at least want to entertain the idea of rehiring the former employee. Otherwise, if there’s uncertainty regarding their character, you may want to pass.

Does your team like them?

If a person meshes well with your company culture and was a valued team member in the past, it often makes sense to rehire them. On the other hand, if they created a lot of friction, rehiring is probably ill advised.  Talking to your current employees and getting honest answers will minimize friction and make them feel they had an impact on the final decision.

What did they learn at their new job?

Ideally, a former employee will have learned new skills and developed their talent at the new position. If you decide to bring them back, they should be able to add real value to boost your company’s overall productivity and add to your bottom line. However, if their skill set is essentially the same with no new development, you’ll want to think twice.

Deciding whether to hire a boomerang employee requires some careful thought and consideration. After all, you don’t want to find yourself in a situation where they come back only to quickly leave again. Asking these three questions should offer insight and ultimately help you make the right decision.

 Looking to streamline recruiting and land talented employees? Contact Axiom Staffing Group to see how we can help.

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