Boomerang Employees

[DanimalW]

Would your prefer a motivated employee that wants to grow professionally? Or someone that’s content in the same role getting occasional raises that don’t even keep up with inflation? Unless they took a job that hurt your company due to sharing competitive information, then I don’t really see the problem. Perhaps you should refocus on yourself and ask why the employee left in the first place. Do you outline any kind of career path where driven employees can be advanced in their careers? Kind of difficult for small businesses to do, but any employee that feels like they’re in a dead end job will meet minimum expectations, and nothing more.

 

[chaser_2332]

If an employee left on good terms and felt they were bettering themselves i don’t feel you can hold that over their head. If the grass isn’t greener on the other side i would have no problem hiring them back.

 

[timekiller13]

I left my job at the hospital about 2 years ago. Thought I wanted a change. Made it about 6 weeks and realized I didn’t need a change I just needed a break. Came back to the hospital. Have since been promoted twice.

Would I leave again? Yes. But it would have to be the right opportunity.

 

[Mk44]

If she's a good employee, I would take her back.
Good workers are hard to find. It's better to re-hire a good worker than to hire/deal with a bad one.
As an employer it stinks to have a good worker leave. But I have nothing against people (employees) trying to better themselves. Maybe now she'll realize the grass isn't always greener on the other side.

 

[kda082]

Did it once also for a week. Realized commuting 2+ hrs daily wasnt for me. Been at my job 23 years. Also see it a lot but usually longer periods. No downside if I can bring back trained employees vs new hires needing lots of training.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

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 ?

My longest tenured team member (8 years) is in the same boat. This was emphasized when we were hiring a new application engineer last summer and he saw what people with way less experience than he had were asking for a starting salary. However, we discussed the disparity, and I followed up with my leadership to see what could be done. I couldn’t immediately get him a market adjustment to close the gap, but I was able to get him a $12k RSU as a long term investment in his career. The comp increase will come later. The key is to have these conversations with your folks before they start looking.

Had the org not agreed with me on the value of my employee I would’ve been the first to help him find something else externally.

 

[hunterjmj]

I've never left a job unless it's benefited me financially. Sometimes you have to deal with your current employer until something comes along but have never made a horizontal move. I worked for a refrigeration company for 8 years and started looking as benefits started dwindling. Took a couple years but I jumped ship for way better benefits and the same pay. They took me out to lunch to find out why I was leaving and I just told them the truth. I really enjoyed working there but I have a family to look after and that is my first priority. No counter offer was made so I left a great paying job that I enjoyed but medical benefits dwindled down to near nothing. For me, id never go back to an employer, maybe a fault but I just couldn't bring myself to do that.

 

[Will_m]

Appreciate the responses and I think I align with no harm, no foul approach. Says a lot that they are motivated and then also had the guts to realize it was a mistake and to come back respectfully. This is a professional level position and she is definitely a performer. Wasn’t surprised somebody tried to poach her.

 

[wapitibob]

I would consider the initial discussion when the employee left.

 

[Ice-kub]

We have people do this constantly... It gets a bit annoying. Guys hear the oil field money up north in alberta is amazing but they don't realize how scabby some of the employers can be with many aspects of the job and theyre back two weeks later saying, "I shoulda just stayed". Grass might look green but it's probably just fertilized with someone else bull.

 

[MattB]

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 slower.

Are you suggesting it is likely she would do the exact same thing again? Or are you not saying something that isn’t different from that?

 

[*zap*]

I would consider the initial discussion when the employee left.

^100% agree with this.

 

[Szwampdonkey]

It’s just business…..goes both ways.

 

[Szwampdonkey]

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 ?

Nope, it’s on your wife to chase the extra $15k elsewhere or stay for less on her own accord.

 

[Steve300xcw]

Have watched a few guys quit and come back, one did it several times. Not a big deal

We had this machinist that not only quit a few times, but was also fired a few times lol

 

[CRJR45]

Nope, it’s on your wife to chase the extra $15k elsewhere or stay for less on her own accord.

Well yeah , that is what I said . But it's because she is not in need of the extra $15K . But my point was when there is such a discrepancy employees are going to leave . She is the exception , but if employers are going to pay less than scale , employees are ging to leave .

 

[TSAMP]

Well yeah , that is what I said . But it's because she is not in need of the extra $15K . But my point was when there is such a discrepancy employees are going to leave . She is the exception , but if employers are going to pay less than scale , employees are ging to leave .

I agree. My old company hired an outside agency to review our comp package and wouldn't you know it, They came back and said we were all right where we needed to be. Fast forward a couple years and I started looking. Nearly 8 months interviewing and in that time was able to assess the market and come up with a salary range based on real world data from that process. Once I found an acceptable company that came in at the top of my range my employer immediately matched it.

Imagine giving someone a 4% raise saying that's the best you can do, than two weeks later matching a 30% increase to try and keep them.

It's just business. My personal opinion is you don't owe a company loyalty. You should be reviewing your options every couple years in order to keep everyone honest.

 

[dtrkyman]

Anyone can leave for a different opportunity at any time, if their good their good and will find opportunity!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Swamp Fox]

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 slower.

It's the twang ...

 

[CHMD]

I’ve had it happen a few times. If they were a good employee and they gave notice before leaving I don’t hold it against them at all. If I need help when they contact me wanting to come back I hire them.