People left and continue to leave their jobs for a variety of reasons. Women, in particular, faced significant challenges balancing work, homeschooling, eldercare, and more during the pandemic, forcing them to step away from their roles. Some employees left to explore entrepreneurship or other careers. Now, data indicates that many of these people may be ready to return to the workforce, presenting tremendous opportunities for you to recapture talent that may have been lost.
40% of employees say they would consider boomeranging back to a company they had previously worked for. This includes 46% of Millennials, 33% of Gen Xers, and 29% of Baby Boomers.
“Boomerang” employees—workers who used to work at an organization, left voluntarily, and now wish to return, are not a new concept but are growing in popularity as a predictable response to the pandemic resignation. Boomerangers may offer several benefits that make them worth considering, including those below.
Higher Performance
A recent study from Cornell University that analyzed the performance of 13,000 employees split between boomerangers and first-time employees with similar experience revealed that the returners were almost always higher-performing employees and more likely to gain promotions.
Easier Vetting
The biggest challenge when recruiting is correctly assessing a candidate’s qualifications and aptitudes—their work ethic, past performance, temperament, soft skills, and various other factors. Resumes and interviews give you limited information. Boomerang employees are a known entity, and with past performance documentation, you have far more information and are more capable of making an informed decision.
Faster, Less Expensive Onboarding
Since boomerang employees have worked at the company before, they are already familiar with the company culture, processes, and structures – significantly speeding up the onboarding process and requiring far less oversight from other members of your team.
Greater Skillsets and Abilities
A boomerang employee who worked for a different company or started their own business likely acquired new skills and perspectives that can make them more valuable to your business. Likewise, employees that left for caretaking or mental health may be returning with greater focus, improved motivation, and loyalty.
People left and continue to leave their jobs for a variety of reasons. Women, in particular, faced significant challenges balancing work, homeschooling, eldercare, and more during the pandemic, forcing them to step away from their roles. Some employees left to explore entrepreneurship or other careers. Now, data indicates that many of these people may be ready to return to the workforce, presenting tremendous opportunities for you to recapture talent that may have been lost.
40% of employees say they would consider boomeranging back to a company they had previously worked for. This includes 46% of Millennials, 33% of Gen Xers, and 29% of Baby Boomers.
“Boomerang” employees—workers who used to work at an organization, left voluntarily, and now wish to return, are not a new concept but are growing in popularity as a predictable response to the pandemic resignation. Boomerangers may offer several benefits that make them worth considering, including those below.
Higher Performance
A recent study from Cornell University that analyzed the performance of 13,000 employees split between boomerangers and first-time employees with similar experience revealed that the returners were almost always higher-performing employees and more likely to gain promotions.
Easier Vetting
The biggest challenge when recruiting is correctly assessing a candidate’s qualifications and aptitudes—their work ethic, past performance, temperament, soft skills, and various other factors. Resumes and interviews give you limited information. Boomerang employees are a known entity, and with past performance documentation, you have far more information and are more capable of making an informed decision.
Faster, Less Expensive Onboarding
Since boomerang employees have worked at the company before, they are already familiar with the company culture, processes, and structures – significantly speeding up the onboarding process and requiring far less oversight from other members of your team.
Greater Skillsets and Abilities
A boomerang employee who worked for a different company or started their own business likely acquired new skills and perspectives that can make them more valuable to your business. Likewise, employees that left for caretaking or mental health may be returning with greater focus, improved motivation, and loyalty.
