Coming Home
A COLLEAGUE recently decided to leave the organisation for greener pastures. She figured her career advancement hinged on her joining a larger and more culturally diverse company. The team pooled in money and gave her a nice send-off lunch (accompanied by gab, gift and gin in that order). In the pleasant haze created by the gin and tonic combination on a hot afternoon all the right things were said and felt. But guess what, within a year she was back in the fold and feeling right at home! We would like to believe that it was our gesture that made the difference.
Called the `boomerang employees' they are a reflection of the unpredictability of today's workplaces. Employees who had left once are coming back to occupy the same or different positions. And organisations are welcoming it as a smart and savvy hiring move. Employers are happy as they feel that the advantage of the knowledge capital, which they feel they had lost, has come back to them. Also, the `boomerangs' bring with them new knowledge that others can benefit from. The IT industry for one is ripe for such employees.
Minimum risk
Most companies are wary of playing the hiring game again and again. To minimise the risks of hiring someone who's brand new, what better option than to rehire someone who knows the company culture, has the skills you need and who wants to come back? Ernst & Young for example sees great advantage in luring their favourite former employees back. Besides saving on their training costs, the company believes that such employees come with greater commitment and `richer perspective' as they have worked elsewhere.
When people come back, they often do so with updated skills and valuable experience. They are also in no tearing hurry to leave you in the lurch again, so to speak.
Workplace experts often advise against losing touch with past employees. According to them, not only is there a good chance that they may like to rejoin you, but many may become your best clients! A Chennai-based dotcom company, which nearly closed down after the dotcom boom went bust, managed to not only reinvent itself and venture successfully into other areas of business; but many of its senior employees who had quit the company returned as its customers! No matter on what terms you may have parted company (as long as it wasn't on a bitter slang match fest), put your ego aside, and let these employees be part of your future. Keep in touch with an occasional e-mail, a phone call or even a card.
However, there are a few pointers to be kept in mind before you invite the boomerangs back into your fold:
Scan the individual's personnel file thoroughly before you make any commitment. Also talk to his earlier supervisor to see if he is fine with the idea of rehiring someone who had worked for him. Make sure he wasn't a problem employee. This fact may go unnoticed if others weren't aware of any performance issues
Remember to take care of the employees who stayed back with you. It is not always fun for them to have their co-workers who had left for greener pastures come back at better salaries or higher posts. They will see this as a betrayal of their loyalty. Their resentment of the boomerangs may be very real and they could display it with uncooperative behaviour
One of the ways of avoiding a situation like this is to be up front and open about what you are doing and why. The long-term employees should not be left feeling that their faith and loyalty to the company is not worth anything. One could start by rewarding them and helping them stay motivated with monetary benefits. The organisation can also start developing and implementing strong employee retention programmes
Don't bring somebody back for the sake of having a familiar face in an important post. Look at the vacancy you have and see whether they fit the bill or not. Try and make it a mutual happening.
Organisations know for a fact that attrition rates are much higher amongst the younger lot than in any other group. The motto adhered to `if they gotta go, they gotta go'. When employees leave, they are told that the company doors are always open for them and it is meant too. Many employees do come back - it is almost like coming back home, something they can find comfort in. At Burt Hill, an architectural firm in USA, the HR department actually hands out Australian boomerangs to the employees they rehire!
Workplace experts are always urging organisations to seriously consider the boomerang recruits, as these people know what values the organisation cherishes and how to get things done. And one can never place a value on that.
PADMA RAMESH
padma.hyd@cnkonline.com
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Opportunities
