talent management
part of the “family” before and generally know how to work with
their colleagues.
2. YOU KNOW THEIR STRENGTHS
AND WEAKNESSES
Asking the right questions throughout the interview process and
conducting thorough background checks helps identify suitable
candidates, but you’ll only learn the intricacies of an employee’s
strengths and weaknesses once they’re in the role. The benefit
of hiring a boomerang employee is that you already have a sense
of how and when they perform best. You can position them in
a department and role best suited to their skills and qualities,
ensuring the business benefits from the employee, and the latter
experiences personal growth.
3. THEY’RE EVEN BETTER THAN THEY
WERE BEFORE
Accept that the best talent won’t stay with your organization forever
and that by pursuing new opportunities, these employees
are developing their skills and gaining insights your company can
leverage to improve and grow. Think about it: boomerang employees
know how other companies operate and can offer suggestions
on how yours can be better (or confirm that what you’re already
doing is effective). A returning employee’s new skillset can also
amplify the areas you need to develop your existing team. If your
organization operates in the same industry as the company that
the employee left you for, it may become quite apparent that you
need to invest in training for the skills they now have but your
other employees don’t.
4. THEY KNOW THE GRASS ISN’T
ALWAYS GREENER
We’re all guilty of taking our employers for granted at some point
in our careers, and maybe even fantasizing about what it would
be like to work for another. In the case of boomerang employees,
they’ve been there, done that – now they’re back and it’s likely
because they put a higher value on your organization than the one
they joined. This time around, they will be more inclined to stay
as they presumably no longer think the grass is greener on the
other side.
5. IT CAN BE A HUGE BOOST TO MORALE
Seeing someone who left to embark on “bigger and better things”
return because it didn’t match the experience they had at your
organization can have a positive impact on staff morale, particularly
if the employee was well-liked and respected. For example,
this boomerang employee can provide peers with their perspective
of what it’s like working for another organization and placate perceived
irritations with your company.
DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE
While the benefits of hiring a boomerang employee are clear, it’s
important to do your due diligence before extending an offer of
employment – just as you would with any other hire.
Consider the amount of time that has lapsed since you
worked with the employee and probe their motivation for
returning. If they’re interested in a different position from the
one they previously held, confirm that they’ve gained the skills
and experience necessary to be successful in the role – while
they may be a good cultural fit, they still need to be able to fulfill
the duties required.
Reference checking is important, even in the case of boomerang
employees. The process may not be as extensive as with an outside
candidate, but following up with a recent employer or colleague
is essential to verifying details shared by the candidate. While it’s
likely that they’re still the great employee you remember, it’s always
better to be safe than sorry. n
Derek Smith is the general manager for Xref North America.
BRINGING A PREVIOUS
EMPLOYEE BACK INTO
THE FOLD MEANS THEY’LL
BE PRODUCTIVE FASTER
BECAUSE THEY ALREADY
KNOW THE INS AND
OUTS OF THE COMPANY.
ylivdesign / 123RF Stock Photo
32 ❚ JULY 2018 ❚ HR PROFESSIONAL
/profile_ylivdesign