Employees singing ‘Volver, Volver’ to their former employers are getting rehired

In 1972, Vicente Fernández released the iconic song "Volver, Volver," singing, “Tu tenías mucha razón, le hago caso al corazón y me muero por volver,” a heartfelt expression of longing to return to a lost love. Today, this sentiment resonates with many employees who return to their former employers. The trend of "boomerang employees," those who leave a company only to later return, has surged, with rehires now accounting for up to 28% of all new hires, often accompanied by pay raises of up to 25%. Employers are increasingly embracing this phenomenon, as rehiring familiar faces offers predictable performance and can save companies up to $20,000 in recruitment costs.

Why should employers care?

Boomerang employees have become a significant part of modern hiring practices, making up 28% of new hires. Notably, more than 75% of rehired employees return within 16 months of their departure, underscoring the pull former employers have in the first two years after an employee leaves. Often, employees boomerang back to former employers because their new employers didn’t meet their expectations. 

Employers are increasingly becoming more open to rehiring former employees, recognizing their reliable performance and the substantial cost savings involved. Traditionally, labor and employment attorneys have advised against this practice because of concerns about past performance and its impact on current employee morale and perceptions of fairness.