Would You Hire a Former Employee?  

01.22.2019
HR & Safety

The tight labor market has companies casting a wide net to find job candidates with the in-demand skills they need, and new research suggests employers are more than ready to hire familiar faces.
A new Accountemps survey found that more than nine in 10 senior managers (94%) are open to rehiring boomerang employees—staff members who previously left the company on good terms.
Would you hire a former employee?The research, however, also revealed that former employees were not quite as eager for a reunion, with 52% of workers likely to apply for a position with a previous company.
Reasons professionals cited for not wanting to return to past employers included dissatisfaction with management (22%), poor fit with organizational culture (17%), unfulfilling job duties (13%), and bridges burned by the company (11%).
Accountemps executive director Michael Steinitz believes boomerang employees can be a good option for employers because they’re a known quantity, can hit the ground running, and may bring new skills they didn’t have the first time around.
He does, however, have a cautionary note for employers who may be interested in taking on a former employee.
“Rehiring a former staff member may seem like a simple process, but it’s essential to understand why the person originally left and whether the issue has been resolved,” said Steinitz.
“The employee will not stay long if past problems keep resurfacing.”

Tips for Employers When It’s Time to Hire

Accountemps offers these tips when considering a previous employee’s return:

  • Have a conversation. Before launching the formal hiring process with a former employee, find out what they’re looking for from your company and ensure all previous issues have been addressed.
  • Conduct a formal interview. Follow all hiring procedures as you would with a new candidate. Perform reference checks (including the most recent employer) and have an in-depth discussion to ensure that a return would be beneficial for both parties.
  • Reorient the employee. If the person is rehired, have them go through the standard onboarding process to bring them up to speed on current company policies and processes.
  • Reassess skills. Managers should consider the returning employee’s updated experience to determine if they may be suited for new roles or responsibilities.

    About the research: The online surveys were developed by Accountemps and conducted by independent research firms. They include responses from more than 1,000 U.S. workers 18 years of age or older and employed in office environments and more than 2,800 senior managers at companies with 20 or more employees.

Register today for CBIA’s 2019 Human Resources Conference, March 21 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. at the Red Lion Hotel in Cromwell. 

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