The Rise – and Return – of Boomerang Employees
Nearly half of all people who quit their jobs during the pandemic think they were better off in their old job.
January 10, 2023
Future of Work
Trending
The Adecco Group's Global Workforce of the Future Report 2022 has shed light on the many factors that contributed to and continue to contextualise The Great Reiteration. While the phenomenon has accumulated many names and variations, the facts remain the same: Swathes of people have quit their jobs, turning the labour market on its head. Out of this, we have seen a rise in hybrid working arrangements and a greater choice of roles for job-seekers, but perhaps the most unexpected outcome has been the rise of the so-called 'boomerang employee'.
A boomerang employee is someone who leaves their job to return to their original post, but often in a stronger position than when they left. People can choose to change jobs for various reasons: improved salary, increased job security, flexible work options, a change of scenery, etc. The list goes on. During the pandemic, many of these things took on greater importance to workers than usual, resulting in increased urgency to make a change. As the world emerges from the pandemic some of the pressures exerted by it are receding, meaning in turn that the reasons for leaving a job may also have become less significant – and in some cases redundant.
But is that enough to motivate a return? Can employers learn something from what brings these boomerangs back to prevent them ever leaving in the first place?
In short, no. People often return to previous jobs having left to gain experience elsewhere. What is unique about the current situation is the scale at which this is occurring. A recent study by payroll firm UKG shows that 43% of people who quit their jobs during the pandemic think they were better off in their old job. Many have now acted on this, with almost 1 in 5 of those who left jobs during the pandemic already returning to their previous roles.
Many businesses were forced to slow down during the pandemic, entering a period of consolidation and survival instead of expansion. With few new projects and opportunities available, workers were stuck in their current roles with little prospect of change on the horizon. Unsurprisingly, this forced them to look elsewhere. However, as many of their original companies now emerge from the pandemic with their own momentum and opportunities aplenty, they are luring them back.
Cameron Lyall is SEO director at iCrossing. He returned to his previous company after leaving to head up a team at a rival firm due to a lack of progression opportunities. “The job wasn’t what I expected: I quickly realised I didn’t have much of an opportunity to progress,” he explains. “So, I contacted my former manager and asked if there was an opportunity to come back. I knew new roles were opening up – I was fortunate to come back in a slightly higher position than when I left.”
Research suggests that these kinds of moves can be extremely beneficial for a worker in terms of career progression, allowing them to learn new skills and gain experience that can become a differentiator when they rejoin their original organisation. These new credentials are also great tools to use when negotiating a return to a higher position within the company, improved pay or a more flexible work arrangement.
Just as importantly, though, Lyall found his return gave him a real psychological boost too. “I felt really energised coming back. I returned to the same clients and accounts as before, but I had a fresh outlook on how much I liked working at the company," he explains.
This can be a positive move for businesses, too. Previous employees such as silver workers already know an organisation and its culture, resulting in lower training and onboarding costs. In fact, recruiters have already been actively targeting re-hires in many instances. Firms such as Microsoft have even gone as far as to set up their own Alumni networks to encourage workers to return.
In the time since a worker's departure, companies may have also had a chance to address some of the issues that led to their resignation in the first place.
Our research reveals that when an employee feels engaged at their job, their priorities change completely. For example, salary is one of the key factors pushing people to a new job, but it drops down to the 6th priority for those who are engaged at work. For them, what makes them stay is good stability, a healthy work/life balance, flexibility and their rapport with colleagues. You can read more about the key takeaways here.
If these aspects of work were lacking but have markedly improved while the employee was working elsewhere, this could entice boomerangs to return. A UKG study found, for instance, that 38% of those that prefer their old job say they missed their former colleagues most – whilst 31% said they missed the comfort and familiarity of their previous role.
Boomerang employees are a living, breathing indicator of what motivates people to leave a job. But they can also be a clear sign of what could make them stay. The Great Resignation has given employers a crucial opportunity to engage in corporate empathy and truly listen to what their workers want and need from them.
Salary might be used as a blunt instrument to attract talent, but our research and the past year of employment trends have shown it does not necessarily retain top talent. Focusing on providing career progression, training, flexibility, stability and a healthy workplace will likely go much further in accomplishing that.
A boomerang employee is someone who leaves their job to return to their original post, but often in a stronger position than when they left. People can choose to change jobs for various reasons: improved salary, increased job security, flexible work options, a change of scenery, etc. The list goes on. During the pandemic, many of these things took on greater importance to workers than usual, resulting in increased urgency to make a change. As the world emerges from the pandemic some of the pressures exerted by it are receding, meaning in turn that the reasons for leaving a job may also have become less significant – and in some cases redundant.
But is that enough to motivate a return? Can employers learn something from what brings these boomerangs back to prevent them ever leaving in the first place?
Is this a new phenomenon?
In short, no. People often return to previous jobs having left to gain experience elsewhere. What is unique about the current situation is the scale at which this is occurring. A recent study by payroll firm UKG shows that 43% of people who quit their jobs during the pandemic think they were better off in their old job. Many have now acted on this, with almost 1 in 5 of those who left jobs during the pandemic already returning to their previous roles.
A chance to get ahead
Many businesses were forced to slow down during the pandemic, entering a period of consolidation and survival instead of expansion. With few new projects and opportunities available, workers were stuck in their current roles with little prospect of change on the horizon. Unsurprisingly, this forced them to look elsewhere. However, as many of their original companies now emerge from the pandemic with their own momentum and opportunities aplenty, they are luring them back.
Cameron Lyall is SEO director at iCrossing. He returned to his previous company after leaving to head up a team at a rival firm due to a lack of progression opportunities. “The job wasn’t what I expected: I quickly realised I didn’t have much of an opportunity to progress,” he explains. “So, I contacted my former manager and asked if there was an opportunity to come back. I knew new roles were opening up – I was fortunate to come back in a slightly higher position than when I left.”
Research suggests that these kinds of moves can be extremely beneficial for a worker in terms of career progression, allowing them to learn new skills and gain experience that can become a differentiator when they rejoin their original organisation. These new credentials are also great tools to use when negotiating a return to a higher position within the company, improved pay or a more flexible work arrangement.
Just as importantly, though, Lyall found his return gave him a real psychological boost too. “I felt really energised coming back. I returned to the same clients and accounts as before, but I had a fresh outlook on how much I liked working at the company," he explains.
This can be a positive move for businesses, too. Previous employees such as silver workers already know an organisation and its culture, resulting in lower training and onboarding costs. In fact, recruiters have already been actively targeting re-hires in many instances. Firms such as Microsoft have even gone as far as to set up their own Alumni networks to encourage workers to return.
The lure of home
In the time since a worker's departure, companies may have also had a chance to address some of the issues that led to their resignation in the first place.
Our research reveals that when an employee feels engaged at their job, their priorities change completely. For example, salary is one of the key factors pushing people to a new job, but it drops down to the 6th priority for those who are engaged at work. For them, what makes them stay is good stability, a healthy work/life balance, flexibility and their rapport with colleagues. You can read more about the key takeaways here.
If these aspects of work were lacking but have markedly improved while the employee was working elsewhere, this could entice boomerangs to return. A UKG study found, for instance, that 38% of those that prefer their old job say they missed their former colleagues most – whilst 31% said they missed the comfort and familiarity of their previous role.
The moral of the story
Boomerang employees are a living, breathing indicator of what motivates people to leave a job. But they can also be a clear sign of what could make them stay. The Great Resignation has given employers a crucial opportunity to engage in corporate empathy and truly listen to what their workers want and need from them.
Salary might be used as a blunt instrument to attract talent, but our research and the past year of employment trends have shown it does not necessarily retain top talent. Focusing on providing career progression, training, flexibility, stability and a healthy workplace will likely go much further in accomplishing that.
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