Hiring Ex-Employees is Smart Strategy

Hiring ex-employees is no longer taboo.

It’s a smart strategy.

In March, 35% of new hires were “boomerang employees”—people returning to former companies (ADP data).

In tech? That number jumped to 68%.

Why the shift?

→ The job market has cooled.

→ Employers are pickier.

→ Familiar talent = faster ramp + lower risk.

But here’s the real opportunity for leaders:

✅ What story do former employees tell about your culture?

✅ Did they leave because they outgrew the role—or felt undervalued?

✅ Would they come back… and would you want them back?

Boomerang hires can be gold.

They already know your expectations, your pace, your quirks.

But they also remember how they were led.

The question isn’t just:

👉 “Should we rehire this person?”

It’s also:

👉 “What did their exit teach us about how we develop and retain talent?”

Because every exit is feedback.

And every return is a second chance—to get it right.

What’s your take on hiring back former employees?

Have you done it successfully—or regretted it?

#HiringTrends #LeadershipDevelopment #BoomerangEmployees #HRLeadership #TalentStrategy #JanusCoach