Do’s and Don’ts for Hiring a Boomerang Employee

In the recruitment process, you must use every method that brings you promising talents and contributes to your organisation’s growth. In that regard, a boomerang employee returning to your organisation after some time is someone you cannot overlook.

A boomerang employee saves time and resources and can quickly adapt to the work culture. Training them is not required, since they are already familiar with the company’s work.

A former employee will likely only return if they feel valued in the company. This speaks highly of the employee branding of your organisation, as well as the company branding.

A boomerang employee is engaged enough with the organisation to join again. To maintain the level of engagement, employers must follow specific do’s and don’ts, which help to make the boomerang employee feel secure while allowing you to not compromise on any of your brand values.

Do’s for Boomerang Employees

Do Interview Them Again

The employee you are rehiring may be familiar or someone close to you. That does not mean that they don’t have anything new to offer. The new employee may have gained new skills and may possess a different view on specific policies. It is best to talk to the boomerang employee to gain some insight.

A few questions you could ask the boomerang employees are:

• Why did you leave the organisation?
• What motivated you to return to the organisation?
• What are some of the new skills you have acquired during your time away?

Do Learn Ways to Apply Their New Skills

After leaving your organisation, the employee may have been exposed to a different environment and different culture. A new culture would possibly have made them learn new things. This can help your organisation by having intensive exposure to a new culture.

Your organisation can improve culturally by taking the boomerang employee’s input and feedback about your company culture versus the various cultures they have experienced. The former employee can also train in the skills they learned from the other organisation.

Do Set Clear Expectations

You might find that boomerang employees can be familiar with many things in your organisation. This can make you feel like the employee has always been a part of your company. It is essential to address the changes in employment.

The boomerang employee might not return to the same role, and even if they do, the employee might face a lot of changes related to that. Set clear expectations about the job with the employee, as well as the benefits and the salary. This will ensure that there is no miscommunication in the future based on the previous employment experience.

Do Create a Reboarding Program

The organisation does not stay stagnant throughout the time the former employee leaves and joins again. If you plan to constantly rehire new candidates, creating a reboarding program or training sessions geared towards the boomerang employee is best.

The reboarding program could include ways to help the former employee catch up on the organisation’s changes. It could consist of training documents for any new software the company has adapted since the employee’s departure. Changes in the company policies can also be documented to make sure that the boomerang employee is aware of everything going on.

Don’ts for Boomerang Employees

Don’t Let Emotions Cloud Your Judgments

Hiring a boomerang employee can be an emotional process. Especially if the employee was a top performer and someone close to you, do not let it steer your decisions regarding the hiring process.

Hire the boomerang employee only if they are ready to contribute to the organisation’s growth. Do not let the fact that they were a former employee change the recruitment process. Treat them just as you’d treat a new employee. This will ensure that you are serious about your recruitment process.

Don’t Forget About Your Current Team

The organisation consists of many teams and employees. When you bring in a boomerang employee to your organisation, it also means that your current team will likely get to work with someone they knew in the past.

This might not always be a good thing for your employees. Some employees may not feel welcomed to work with the boomerang employee. This can bring down the productivity of the entire team. Make sure you understand how the whole team feels before bringing in a boomerang employee.

Don’t Forget the Paperwork

Filling out paperwork takes time for all new employees. Even if it is a former employee, do not miss the step of filling out the proper documents and completing the legal requirements for the employee to work.

Don’t skip on explaining any company-wide changes during their absence. It is crucial to remind the employee of anything related to your organisation’s business model.

Don’t Overlook the Performance and Cultural Fit

Hiring a boomerang employee may have some positive aspects to it. That should not stop you from considering all the other aspects that make an employee a perfect fit for your organisation.

Just because the employee has a history working with you, do not overlook their culture and performance. You should do a complete review of the candidate and check their performance and how they can fit right into your organisation. Check if their goals and the company’s goals align to a certain extent. Also, check if they possess the moral ethics that sit right with your organisation.

Conclusion

Rehiring a former employee speaks well of your company and the culture you showcase to the world. Do not make hasty conclusions that can cause you more damage by bringing in a boomerang employee purely out of familiarity. Be sure that the employee is welcomed to your organisation only if they are the right fit. Before all this, Make sure that you maintain good communication with all your former employees so that employees feel safe returning to their previous workplace.

LogicMelon

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Email: sales@logicmelon.com or call LogicMelon (UK) +44 (0) 203 553 3667 (USA) +1 860 269 3089