What Motivates 'Boomerang' Employees to Return?
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What Motivates 'Boomerang' Employees to Return?
'Boomerang' workers—people who go back to work for an ex-employer—are becoming more typical, which is a good reason not to burn bridges on your way out the door. -
"Welcome Back!"
29% of the workers surveyed have returned to a previous employer after having left that company for some time. -
Comfortable Concept
41% said they are open to being a "boomerang" employee and potentially returning to a former employer. -
Comeback Drivers, Part I
22% of the respondents would consider returning to a former employer if they could have a more flexible schedule, and 17% would do so if they could work in a position created just for them. -
Comeback Drivers, Part II
16% said they would consider returning to a previous employer if a former manager or colleague expressed interest in having them do so. -
Discussion Starters
55% think it is their responsibility to initiate conversations with a previous employer about returning, while 28% feel that a former boss or colleague should reach out to them. -
Personnel Preference
18% of the respondents said that their current employer targets potential boomerang hires over new candidates for available positions. -
Appealing Accommodation
36% said they are more likely to work for a company that accepts boomerang employees. -
Already Acclimated
47% of the respondents believe that returning employees should undergo a less rigorous hiring process than new workers. -
Veteran Status
35% feel that returning employees should get credit for previous time spent in the company when being assessed for eligibility for tenure-based benefits. -
Don't Look Back
35% of the respondents said they'd never consider returning to a former company, with 27% of these workers saying that such a move would represent a step back in their career.
A significant percent of U.S. professionals are "boomerang" workers—people who have returned to work for an ex-employer—according to a recent survey from Spherion. Findings reveal that even more of the respondents are open to this idea, saying they'd consider returning to a former employer if the salary was tempting enough, if the company offered a more flexible schedule, or if there was an opportunity to work in a position created specifically for them. In other words, boomerang employees are becoming more typical, which is another reason not to burn bridges on your way out the door. "Because the boomerang concept is growing in popularity as a job-seeking strategy and is accepted by a majority of American workers, both employees and employers should be rethinking their approach to each phase of the employment lifecycle," said Sandy Mazur, division president at Spherion. "For example, employees should carefully manage their exit in case they want to return down the road, and employers should cast their recruitment net wider to include those who may be looking to come back." More than 1,000 U.S. workers took part in the research, which was conducted by Research Now.