Boomerang employees: I love this topic and how it sounds.
But it is such a great description.
A recent study from the Workforce Institute at Kronos and WorkplaceTrends.com provided these incredible statistics: 46% of millennials, 33% of Gen X, and 29% of Baby Boomers boomerang back to a previous employer.
Staggering, isn’t it?
But it’s pretty common.
In fact, I’ve boomeranged twice myself to two different past employers.
Reasons for “boomerang-ing” include:
- The employee is recruited back to the company.
- The employee gains new skills and returns in a different capacity.
- The other job proved disappointing and the employer needed them back.
- Something in their personal lives forced them to leave in the first place.
But the key with boomerang employees is that they always leave their existing job with grace and class.
Never burn a bridge because you never know when an opportunity could change and the doors could be open again.
Maintain contacts with previous employers, and stay on good terms.
A positive way to exit an employer is to tie up as many loose ends as possible, create check lists and top priority-lists, as well as operations guides, and communicate with affected clients and co-workers about how the company plans to manage continuity after you leave.
The more you do to provide a professional, polished exit on good terms with your previous employer, the better opportunity you have to returning at some point in the future.
Chances are, you might actually find yourself knocking on their door again.