When a former employee wants to return, most companies pause and reflect—is this a smart move or recycled risk? Known as “boomerang hires,” this practice is becoming increasingly common, especially in a job market where trust and talent are hard to come by.
On one hand, rehiring someone can be a shortcut to success. They know your systems, your culture, and your expectations. They can ramp up faster, bring external experience, and even become stronger contributors the second time around. It’s like getting a player back on your team who already knows the playbook—but has trained with another league.
But on the flip side, there’s a reason they left. Was it dissatisfaction, lack of growth, poor management, or cultural mismatch? If those issues haven’t been resolved, you may be inviting the same cycle again—only this time, with added baggage.
The decision to rehire shouldn’t just be based on familiarity. It should be rooted in self-awareness on both sides: Has the company evolved? Has the individual grown? And most importantly, can both parties contribute to a better version of what didn’t work before?
Rehiring isn’t inherently good or bad. Like all strategic decisions, it depends on what you’ve learned since the last goodbye—and how intentional you are about this new hello.
When a former employee wants to return, most companies pause and reflect—is this a smart move or recycled risk? Known as “boomerang hires,” this practice is becoming increasingly common, especially in a job market where trust and talent are hard to come by.
On one hand, rehiring someone can be a shortcut to success. They know your systems, your culture, and your expectations. They can ramp up faster, bring external experience, and even become stronger contributors the second time around. It’s like getting a player back on your team who already knows the playbook—but has trained with another league.
But on the flip side, there’s a reason they left. Was it dissatisfaction, lack of growth, poor management, or cultural mismatch? If those issues haven’t been resolved, you may be inviting the same cycle again—only this time, with added baggage.
The decision to rehire shouldn’t just be based on familiarity. It should be rooted in self-awareness on both sides: Has the company evolved? Has the individual grown? And most importantly, can both parties contribute to a better version of what didn’t work before?
Rehiring isn’t inherently good or bad. Like all strategic decisions, it depends on what you’ve learned since the last goodbye—and how intentional you are about this new hello.