(Expansion) – After five years of leaving the company, Monica decided to return. She wanted a job close to home that would allow her to spend more time with her family, but also offer more learning, career opportunities, and flexible hours. Of course, Monica had the doors open; It was not for less in the case of a collaborator who transferred her responsibilities in a transparent manner and left an important mark on the organization.
With her return, Monica became a boomerang collaborator or employee, and I’m not saying this to put a label on it, but to mention the value that these collaborators generate for any organization, while they obtain what they are looking for or just need. at that time in his life.
This trend is growing little by little, framed by a win-win relationship. According to a UKG study, 1 in 5 employees globally, who left their jobs during the pandemic, are returning to their previous company, with millions more open to the possibility of returning.
Why keep the door open to former employees?
I wanted to start by talking about Monica because, in my recent years leading an organization, I have had the opportunity to work with collaborators who have left due to new work or personal opportunities, and after a few years -sometimes just a few, sometimes more -, they have decided to return.
In my experience, I can say that these collaborators represent a great opportunity for any company, especially in the current labor market, where competition and shortages for talent are at their highest point. Once again, having ex-collaborators who already know your company brings benefits and gives you a competitive advantage.
Perhaps the most important thing, from my point of view, is that those who return are no longer the same ones who left, neither professionally nor personally speaking. Being exposed to other roles, processes, peers and ways of working means an evolution in terms of knowledge, skills and perspectives, which means that your talent and performance are more empowered. Hiring them helps to improve and strengthen the organization, optimizing what has deficiencies or reinventing the way of doing things.
Another significant point is that they help raise the general morale of all staff. Who if not them to attest to improvements in processes and quality of work? At the end of the day, they have a benchmark to compare to when they first worked there. And let’s not forget that returning former employees sends a signal that the organization is a great place to work.
We must also consider the issue of job induction, especially since this process involves time and effort. Onboarding a boomerang can become a more seamless process, greatly streamlining the task of HR and line managers.
Another benefit, no less important, has to do with loyalty and commitment, because boomerangs can become, in the long term, more loyal and committed collaborators. In addition, they can spread that “spirit” to the other members of the company. And it is that they have already seen what is out there, and they do not have to wonder if “the grass is greener in the neighbor’s house”. For this reason, they can appreciate their old company more and even improve the perception of their current colleagues.
Are there disadvantages? Of course. For example, they may expect that everything has remained the same since they left and therefore resist change; Plus, it may take them longer than you think to adjust, especially if management, policies, or company culture have changed.
And they, what do they seek and need?
But being open to the boomerang effect, it’s not just about the company, it’s about them. Because the collaborators who return do so because they already have in mind the value or benefits of returning to their “old home”; for example, taking on more challenging roles or earning higher compensation.
Experience has taught me that they often have very particular priorities and expectations, compared to those who join the company for the first time. That is, they are returning because they are looking for or need something in particular. So it’s not just about “leaving the doors open”, if we want to take advantage of this talent, organizations need to be responsive to the needs of the labor market.
We know that employee turnover is imminent, so if a good employee decides to leave your company, intentionally let them know that they are leaving the door open. Today, HR professionals are realizing that loyalty doesn’t end when employees leave, and this happens because they want the flexibility to search and try other options, without closing the door on their way out.
Editor’s note: Héctor Meza Curiel is CEO of InfoSol. Follow him on . The opinions published in this column belong exclusively to the author.
