Boomerang Employees

[Nickofthewoods]

Try simplifying. Not unlikely she wouldn't? Come on. Stop and think for a second. Do you mean to say it's not likely she would do the same thing again? It's confusing because a double negative is a positive but a triple negative is so rare, redundant and illiterate one assumes it must have been a mistake. So then we have to wonder if you meant to use a double negative or just a negative.

Instead of arguing about grammar, wouldn't you rather not disagree about something you cannot agree upon?

 

[TSAMP]

I could guess the reason she left based on your post. It would be a guess obviously. I'll echo what was said above. If you have the need, put out an offer. You know what your getting and save yourself some training and look like the good guy. Win/win. Dont take it personal she left. Take it as a compliment she wants to come back. Take advantage of it to show to your other employees.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

Really?


Should I say it slower?



It's not unlikely that she wouldn't do the exact same thing again.


Is this really the first time dealing with this situation?

Typed it a bit slowe

Much better.

 

[ODB]

I have more sympathy for an honest employee asking for their job back than a company who calls a dozen employees into a conference room and fires them all to improve the quarterly bottom line so they look more attractive to a buyer.

 

[Customweld]

Given that she added value to the team and was a good employee, I wouldn’t hesitate to hire her back. If she is young and doesn’t have extensive employer history, it could be a valuable learning experience for her.
I’ve hired guys back before with the understanding that was their one get out of free card.

 

[cnelk]

Best time to look for a job is when you have a job

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

Best time to look for a job is when you have a job

This is a good approach for lots of things…. Dad always used to say this for jobs, cars, etc….

I’ve been in management for 20 years. Over this time I’ve been fortunate to lead many teams and the vast majority of folks were long tenured and either developed with me and accepted a promotion from within or retired. I’ve had a small handful that've left, and all but one would be welcome back. The one person was talented and took an internal promotion and just wasn’t a great fit for the team.

Since it was only a week, and assuming they left on good terms, I would sit the person down and have a very short conversation about the terms of re-employment. For example, they’re not getting a raise for leaving for more money and then coming back. If HR policy provided for it, I would try to get any seniority/tenure related PTO or other benefits restored, but compensation would resume at the prior amount. In addition, the next increase would follow new-hire guidelines, not the regular schedule. People have to understand there are consequences for their actions.

I would be very firm on the compensation point. In my experience people don’t leave a job they like over a few dollars. They leave their boss or team for a variety of reasons. As a manager, if I’m doing my part, I hire the right people first and then mentor them and treat them the way I want to be treated. If this isn’t enough, then they’re happy to leave and see what else is out there. This is the same reason I never make a counter offer if somebody says they’re leaving.

 

[Extrapale]

I wouldn't hold it against her if she is a good employee. Especially in this day and age of quiet quitting and such. She probably learned a valuable lesson.

Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk

 

[GunsAreFun]

I work at a meat manufacturer with 450-500 employees. We get requests to come back probably every week. If they were good performers and left on good terms, we rehire them, and I’d say their retention rate is FAR higher than any other hire. Honestly, it’s near 100%.

 

[CRJR45]

This is a good approach for lots of things…. Dad always used to say this for jobs, cars, etc….

I’ve been in management for 20 years. Over this time I’ve been fortunate to lead many teams and the vast majority of folks were long tenured and either developed with me and accepted a promotion from within or retired. I’ve had a small handful that've left, and all but one would be welcome back. The one person was talented and took an internal promotion and just wasn’t a great fit for the team.

Since it was only a week, and assuming they left on good terms, I would sit the person down and have a very short conversation about the terms of re-employment. For example, they’re not getting a raise for leaving for more money and then coming back. If HR policy provided for it, I would try to get any seniority/tenure related PTO or other benefits restored, but compensation would resume at the prior amount. In addition, the next increase would follow new-hire guidelines, not the regular schedule. People have to understand there are consequences for their actions.

I would be very firm on the compensation point. In my experience people don’t leave a job they like over a few dollars. They leave their boss or team for a variety of reasons. As a manager, if I’m doing my part, I hire the right people first and then mentor them and treat them the way I want to be treated. If this isn’t enough, then they’re happy to leave and see what else is out there. This is the same reason I never make a counter offer if somebody says they’re leaving.

I agree with what you're saying but that one sentence goes both ways . My wife loves her job , but the going rate for her position is much higher that what she makes , and her employer knows it , and banks on the fact that she loves her job enough to stay , rather than making a move .
She could basically make $15K more anywhere else , but she would be starting on the bottom , again , so she stays .
So sometimes a counter offer could be warranted ?

 

[TandKHunting]

I don't hold things like that against my employees. Re-hire them. If they were good it will save you thousands of dollars on training and taking chances on new folks that are unknown. It's a good sign that she came back...that means she is probably more committed than before. Do what's right for the business and don't let feelings of possible resentment dictate your decision. That's coming from personal experience, as I tend to feel a certain way when people do that stuff too.

 

[Wrench]

If I lost a good employee and she wanted back, I would want to know what was missing from my business that lured her away. I would like to know if this is something I need to investigate to retain my people.

Retention and recruitment are two necessary focus points.

It may be life circumstances or perhaps you are missing the mark somewhere....and you should know.

Crazy inflation is making for difficult hiring. Our local panda express has a sign showing $25/hr plus benefits. It's hard to keep up with that, but your employees gotta buy that food and they see the wages advertised for low skill work...imagine the expectations for some real skills.

 

[Verdehunter]

Been burned a couple times with people like that. They want/expect it until they find the next job that sticks. I’ll personally never allow it again. Theres a reason they wanted to leave.

 

[Txarcher]

Have you never made a move to better your quality of live or income? Why hold it against somebody for trying better them self? If she was a good employee why not hire her back? She obviously already knows how to do stuff your way and wouldn't require no training. I have helped employees break out on their own. I once had a company offer me a contract and requested a certain employee. I told them to offer him the contract, he still has the contract and is loving it. He was hard to replace but I had made a lot of money off him and he deserved it. If you don't want them to leave pay them enough and treat them well enough that they won't want to go.

 

[Trr15]

In prior roles, I was heavily involved with talent acquisition for a Fortune 100 company. Statistically, I found that employees who leave and come back have a much higher turnover rate than other employees.

 

[bozeman]

Depends. Salaried, nope. Factory floor- diff story. Left on good terms, good employee, solid attendance….most likely they get a second chance…..

 

[ChrisA]

Personally, I wouldn't have the guts to ask to return. If things are that bad to have to muster the courage to come back, I'd say she'll stick around a while.

 

[2ski]

It's funny how people hold it against others for trying to better themselves but would move to better themselves when it fits them.

Don't "have a conversation with her" where you spell it out and no 3rd chances blah blah blah. If you did that to me I'd jump as soon as I had the chance again. You're telling me your insecurities as a leader.

As was stated was she good? It saves you training expenses. You don't have to search for someone new. And she might just be your biggest cheerleader to the other employees. And she may leave to better herself. That's the risk you take.

The best employee I ever had, made a move to something else and I couldn't be prouder of her. She bettered her life.

 

[Boarmaster]

Over my years in business I have found that people sometimes don't appreciate what they have.
Anyone can make a mistake and if they are big enough to admit it and try and rectify it then a second chance for both employee and employer to create a long term situation if warranted.
On the flip side there are people who will go back to a job that they left and only find very quickly all the same things that bugged them about the job are still there and they are unhappy.
Theres not a real clear cut answer. Maybe its the devil you know vs the devil you dont kind of thing.
If they were a valued employee and are already trained I dont see what you got to lose so long as they aren't poisoning other employees.

 

[mtwarden]

For right or wrong, it was an unwritten rule for decades that as a game warden if you left, you wouldn't be hired back. I saw maybe a half dozen guys that left (for varying reasons) then reapplied, none were hired- even though they obviously had on the job experience, some several years worth.

Fast forward to today and there has been probably another half dozen guys that were rehired after leaving.

I think the younger folks (sorry don't know all the Gen acronyms) are simply more apt to move about throughout their careers; the department finally came to that realization and changed their "never hire again" policy".

I had two very solid game wardens that left when the Bakken oil was near its peak; tough telling a guy that he shouldn't pursue six figure employment when they have young families.

One never came back (he took over his Dad's business in Sidney), but the other came back after a couple of years and is now the Captain in Billings

I definitely would have hired either back.