Recruitment and Selection
What is a boomerang employee and how to manage their reintegration?
Boomerang employees present a challenge in company recruitment. If you want to know how to manage them better, read us on the blog!
Recruitment and Selection
Boomerang employees present a challenge in company recruitment. If you want to know how to manage them better, read us on the blog!
Isabel García
HR Consultant
18 of March, 2025
Have you ever heard the term boomerang employees? If not, don’t worry, we’ll explain it to you. A boomerang employee is someone who leaves a company, but later returns to it.
If you don’t know how to tackle this situation, here we give you some tips to manage the process of personnel selection and the reincorporation of these employees. Let’s get started!
Boomerang employees are those who have previously worked in the company, left for a while, and then returned. They are an attractive option because they already know the company culture and can quickly readapt.
When recruiting a boomerang employee, make sure to evaluate if their profile still fits the position. They may have acquired new skills that make them even more valuable, or their interests may have changed.
With good management, boomerang employees can be a great asset. Take advantage of their experience and motivate them to bring a refreshed perspective.
You might wonder why a boomerang employee would want to return. The main causes could be the following:
In short, there are many reasons why an employee decides to return. The important thing is to ensure that their profile fits, align expectations, and welcome them to take advantage of their experience.
The reintegration of a boomerang employee requires a special focus. As a HR manager, you must carefully plan their return to maximize the benefits and minimize any negative impact on the team.
When reintegrating a boomerang employee, it is important to:
With a careful and well-planned reintegration, a boomerang employee can quickly become a valuable asset again. The secret is to treat them as a new employee while taking advantage of their experience and institutional knowledge.
To successfully reintegrate them, we also advise you to focus on these four phases of their stay in the company.
The recruitment process for boomerang employees can differ slightly from standard recruiting. Since you already know the candidate and their skills, certain steps can be expedited. However, it is still important to:
Hiring boomerang employees requires care to prepare them for success in their second act. With the right process, you can take advantage of their experience and get them up and running.
The onboarding process for boomerang employees requires special care and consideration. As a HR manager, keep in mind these tips:
With a suitable onboarding process, you can take advantage of their renewed enthusiasm and experience for the benefit of the entire organization.
Once the boomerang employee has rejoined, it is important to perform regular performance evaluations to ensure that they are adapting well to their role and their career plan is suitable.
In that respect, it is advisable that you carry out more frequent evaluations, every 3 to 6 months. This will allow you to detect any adjustment problems early on and take corrective measures with the corresponding training.
Evaluate both performance and adaptation to the culture. Specifically ask how they feel in their role and if they need more support or training.
You can also take the opportunity to obtain feedback on what has changed in the company since the employee left. Their unique perspective may be useful.
In general, boomerang employees usually have great potential, but special attention must be paid to their reintegration and performance to ensure long-term success.
With patience, open communication, and a supportive approach, boomerang employees can become valuable members of the team.
But nothing lasts forever. When an employee leaves the company for the second time, it is essential to say goodbye properly. Even though it’s a boomerang employee, treat them with the same care and respect as any other team member who leaves.
So, as in all good offboarding processes, you should:
Saying goodbye to an employee for the second time can be frustrating, but it must be handled maturely. Keep the lines of communication open and try to continuously improve for the future. With an open mind, boomerang employees can continue to offer valuable lessons.
If you are in a process of personnel recruitment, you should be aware that boomerang employees can bring a series of advantages if you finally opt for one of them. Among the main benefits, the following should be highlighted:
As with everything in life, bringing a boomerang employee back also has its risks. That’s why you should pay special attention to the following aspects:
With a good strategy, the benefits of reintegrating a boomerang employee will far outweigh the drawbacks. Remember, they return home with new skills. What are you waiting for to welcome them? It’s time to bet on talent.
If you want to know more about HR management, stay on our website. We are your reference HR software. Follow us!