Boomerang hiring refers to the re-hiring of talented employees by a company who once worked for that company and voluntarily left their jobs. The reason for such a recruitment process is the decreased rate of employees in companies as compared to the increased rate of vacancies.

This phenomenon led to the rise of boomerang recruitment widely in the United States. The issue of vacancies in companies in the USA is a big issue that companies are constantly struggling to overcome. 

Since former employees or boomerang employees are efficient in talent and experience, many companies emphasize boomerang hiring. Undoubtedly, there are many benefits to boomerang hiring; however, it is not free from drawbacks either. Our article will highlight the benefits and risks of boomerang hiring in detail. Keep reading!

Benefits of Boomerang Hiring

  1. Saves time and dollars in on-boarding processing

Hiring a new employee requires a company to spend tons of dollars annually in the onboarding process. But in the case of boomerang hiring, the company can save cost and time as the former employee does not necessarily need to go through an in-depth on-boarding process.

A former employee is already acquainted with the environment, culture and working mechanism of the company. So, if an employee leaves the job voluntarily and comes back to the company, he can easily adjust to the workplace environment and work process. Similarly, a boomerang employee ensures productivity in the business faster than a new employee.

  1. Encourage confidence in the employees

If a former employee returns to their previous company, it can encourage confidence in the team of current employees. By discussing how the company was valued in the market and how the company’s business has improved since he left the company, he can boost confidence and work spirit in new employees at the company.

Along with this, having an experienced employee in the team will also guide the company’s new employees in executing business tasks.

  1. Enhanced skills

If an efficient employee leaves the company for specific reasons, he probably won’t waste his time sitting idle. In the meantime, he will work in many other workplaces, industries, or companies and will gain extensive experience and knowledge of different workplaces.

And if that more skilled and knowledgeable former employee is re-employed in their previous company, it will prove to be more beneficial for the company’s businesses. The former employee will be able to use practical business ideas and knowledge in the company’s business activities, which will result in growth and profit for the company.

  1. Reduced Risk

There is usually a risk involved in hiring a new employee. A company owner is often concerned about its efficiency, performance, and how well he will fit with the company’s workplace environment. Furthermore, it takes a while for a new employee to fit in with the workplace culture and be consistent with the company’s business. 

In contrast, by hiring a former employee, the company can avoid the risk and concern of such issues. The company can employ the former employee by evaluating its past work record and relying on it without demonstration. In addition, a company can expect greater efficiency in their former employee, predicting business benefits.

Risks of Boomerang Hiring

  1. Old problems can arise again

If an efficient employee leaves a company’s job, there must be some solid personal or professional reasons behind it. Suppose the former employee is re-employed at their previous company. In that case, there is no guarantee that the prior problems will not arise again, and he will not voluntarily resign from his job.

No matter how advanced skills or relevant experience a former employee has, it can greatly impact the company and the business if he leaves the company midway. So, this is a major risk of boomerang hiring.

  1. Potential for poor performance

A former employee is employed in their previous company based on his previous work record and caliber. The former employee was a contributor to the growth of the business. This point is also considered when hiring a former employee. But a lot can change over time.

Suppose a former employee stays away from their previous company for a long period. In that case, he may have a poor understanding of that company’s business strategies or may lose interest in the business. Hence, there is no guarantee that the former employee will be able to perform his duties as efficiently as before, joining the company again.

  1. Adjustment issues with the changing workplace environment

When a former employee rejoins their previous company, he expects that the company’s business system and work environment will remain the same as he left. But with time, business strategies and rules & regulations also keep on changing. So, a former employee may have problems adapting to the changing workplace environment and business rules.

Conclusion

There are both benefits and risks of boomerang hiring. However, boomerang recruitment has more positive sides, relevant in today’s competitive labor industry. It provides an alternative solution for company owners in the USA to deal with the issues of increased vacancies in their companies.