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Boomerang employees: Why they come back and what it means for retention

Both employee and employer might be surprised to learn the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.

By Kiley Kohs | June 05, 2023 at 10:28 AM
“Boomerang employees” are nothing new, but the term is making headlines again as employers see an uptick in former employees rejoining on the heels of the “Great Resignation.” The early post-pandemic days of companies paying premiums to attract talent back to work are winding to a close, and we’re seeing indications of an employer’s market ahead (although competition for skilled talent remains high). Job candidates who accepted offers gilded with incentives are settling into their everyday reality and realizing the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Many were happier in their previous position.

In fact, 4 out of 10 employees who quit their jobs during the pandemic now admit they were better off at their old job, according to a multi-country survey by workforce solutions company UKG.

Statistics around the prevalence of boomerang employees vary by industry, but a hot-off-the-press study conducted by HR analytics firm Visier between 2019 and 2022 found that 28% of “new” hires were actually boomerang employees who couldn’t stay away more than three years.

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