As one of the fastest growing staffing firms in the U.S., the staffing professionals at Automation Personnel Services are highly familiar with the growing trend of boomerang employees. While you may initially question the term, boomerang worker isn’t necessarily negative. In fact, when used effectively, boomerang employees can be used to increase your presence in electronics or plastics manufacturing and allow you to bolster your company’s profitability over a long-term basis.

What Makes a Boomerang Employee in the First Place?

While there are different ways to define the term, a boomerang employee is an employee who leaves a company, gains new skills or expertise with another company and then returns to the first company. As a recruitment agency, Automation Personnel Services works with a number of recruits who have boomeranged back to old companies. While these initiatives have been met with varying degrees of success, it is a growing trend in manufacturing that simply cannot be overlooked.

In fact, a study by The Workforce Institute at Kronos Incorporated as well as WorkplaceTrends.com, reported that almost 40 percent of respondents indicated they would consider returning to a former employer. Moreover, 15 percent of survey respondents said they’ve already returned.

Deciding When to Bring Back an Ex-Employee

Despite the growing acceptance of boomerang employees in today’s workforce, you don’t necessarily need to rehire all of your ex-employees. In fact, deciding when to bring back a boomerang employee is critical to your ongoing success as a company.

There are a number of things to consider before rehiring a boomerang employee, including their recent skills development, their past reputation with your company and your own production or manufacturing needs. If all of these factors are in alignment, there isn’t any reason why you shouldn’t consider rehiring a boomerang employee.

Accommodating Potential Boomerang Employees at Their Initial Departure

Viewing boomerang workers as a positive instead of a negative allows you to take steps to accommodate the trend before workers even depart your company in the first place. Let the employee know that they have been a valuable asset to your team. Don’t be afraid to show them the loss you’ll be taking in their absence.

Make sure they know that your door is open if they should decide to return in the future. Remind them of any internal promotions that may be available in the future and, if applicable, try to maintain contact with them after their departure. This goes for employees who have been hired through temporary staffing agencies as well as those who have been sourced through other means. This ensures that your company stays fresh on their mind, should they decide to return to your team in the future.

Work with a Leader in Light Industrial Staffing

As companies today strive for maximum efficiency and profitability, flexible staffing has evolved into a strategic, economic solution to enhance overall performance and achieve corporate goals. Contact our great team of staffing professionals today to work with Automation Personnel Services, Inc., one of the largest staffing agencies in the U.S.