The Boomerang effect: more employees are returning to their old jobs

Someone leaving a business isn’t always goodbye, especially when you see them waltz back into the office a couple of months later.

This is known as the “Boomerang effect”, which is a phenomenon of employees returning to work for a company they previously left.

With many ex-employees thinking about heading back to their old roles, it naturally raises questions about why people are ditching their new jobs for their old workplace — whether it’s for better pay, company culture, or just missing those familiar faces.

And for small businesses, it’s a trend worth paying attention to. But what’s causing the rush of former workers returning, and should your business consider rehiring them?

What is the Boomerang effect?

The “Boomerang effect” is when an employee leaves a company and later returns to work there again.

While it might seem counterintuitive, the number of boomerang employees has significantly increased over the last year. According to statistics reported by The Access Group, 41% of leavers would consider returning to their roles.

And it seems many employees don’t stay away for long either, as it was reported that around 75% of boomerang employees returned to their workplace within 16 months.

“While still relatively uncommon, the notion of going back to a former employer is gaining traction.” Jasmine Escalera, career expert at MyPerfectCV says. 

“This change in mindset should influence how companies view their longer-term relationships with employees.”

Why are people returning to their old employers?

One of the main reasons employees “boomerang” back to their former workplace is regret after starting a new role — a trend otherwise known as  “shift shock”. 

In 2024, 53% of UK professionals admitted to quitting a new job because of unmet expectations. Overly high expectations were cited as the leading cause, followed by issues with management, heavy workloads, and a toxic company culture.

In other cases, some employees return after realising their previous pay, company perks, or bonuses were more competitive than those offered by their new employer.

The “pull factor” is also something that draws employees back. This includes familiarity and existing relationships with colleagues, new career opportunities, or improvement in the company culture, such as flexible working or better work-life balance. 

Should small businesses rehire former employees?

The boomerang effect is especially valuable for small businesses, and 31% of firms are already hiring previously employed workers back.  

Compared to large companies, smaller businesses often have limited HR resources. Hiring a boomerang employee means bringing back someone who already understands the company’s systems, culture and processes — significantly reducing the time and cost of training and onboarding.

Moreover, with 62% of businesses experiencing skills shortages, bringing a boomerang employee back on board can be advantageous for productivity. Unlike new employees — who have to spend time learning the ropes — boomerang employees can hit the ground running and contribute to projects quickly.

However, that isn’t to say it’s the perfect solution. For example, if the reasons an employee left in the first place — such as workload, management, or limited progression — have not been properly addressed, there’s a chance they may leave again.

Current staff members might also feel overlooked or undervalued, especially if someone returns in a higher paid role, which can risk employee engagement and morale. For example, the average pay rise for boomerang employees was reported to be 25% — a sharp contrast compared to the 4% increase for workers who stayed on at the company.

These risks are what small businesses should consider when rehiring a former employee. While being reunited with familiar faces might be nice at first, it shouldn’t come at the risk of team morale, fairness, or the long-term stability of the business.