What is a boomerang employee?

A boomerang employee is someone who leaves a company—voluntarily or otherwise—and later returns to work there again. They may come back to the same role or rejoin in a new capacity after gaining experience elsewhere. This rehire trend is increasingly common across industries, including hospitality, retail, food service, and healthcare.

For small business owners, boomerang employees present a unique opportunity. Because they’re already familiar with your business’s culture, processes, and expectations, they often require less training and ramp-up time than brand-new hires. With Homebase, you can track past employees, keep detailed records, and quickly re-onboard former team members when they return.

Why do employees leave and come back?

There are many reasons employees leave their jobs—some related to growth, others to life circumstances. In many cases, the departure has little to do with dissatisfaction.

Common reasons include:

• Pursuing new professional opportunities
• Relocating for personal or family reasons
• Returning to school or completing training
• Exploring a different industry or role
• Seeking better pay or hours elsewhere
• Burnout or the need for a break

Boomerang employees return when their circumstances change—or when they realize that your business offered a better environment, work-life balance, or leadership than they experienced elsewhere.

Why boomerang employees can benefit your small business

Rehiring a past employee often comes with advantages that make the process faster, easier, and more reliable.

1. Reduced training time

Because they already understand your operations and customer base, boomerang employees usually require less onboarding. They may also be familiar with your POS systems, scheduling software, and expectations.

2. Better cultural fit

Boomerangs have already worked with your team, reducing the risk of culture clashes. If they left on good terms, they’re likely to integrate smoothly.

3. Fresh perspective

Employees who worked elsewhere before returning often bring new skills, ideas, or insights they can apply to your business.

4. Improved loyalty

Returning employees tend to be more committed the second time around—they’ve seen the grass on the other side and chose to come back.

5. Faster hiring process

You can skip the lengthy sourcing and vetting process. With a known candidate, you already have performance data and references from their time with you.

Best practices for rehiring boomerang employees

Not every former employee will be a good candidate for rehire. Use these best practices to make smart decisions when considering a return:

Evaluate their departure

Why did they leave the first time? Was it voluntary? Did they leave on good terms? Exit interviews, manager feedback, and final performance reviews can offer important context.

Review past performance

Were they reliable, team-oriented, and professional? Look at their attendance, productivity, and how they handled responsibilities. With Homebase, you can access this historical data easily.

Check current skills and availability

Have they gained new certifications, leadership experience, or cross-training that adds value to your business now?

Re-onboard with intention

Even if they know the basics, treat them like a new hire when it comes to compliance and documentation. Refresh them on any policy or procedural changes.

Reinforce expectations

Clarify whether they’re returning in the same role or with new responsibilities. Be transparent about pay, scheduling, and growth opportunities.

When not to rehire a former employee

While many boomerang employees are assets, there are times when bringing someone back could be a mistake. Avoid rehiring if:

• The employee left on poor terms or created workplace conflict
• They violated company policies or were terminated for cause
• Their performance was inconsistent or hard to manage
• You’re hiring out of desperation, not fit

Rehiring should be strategic, not reactive. Your team culture and customer experience are too important to risk.

How to stay connected with potential boomerangs

Keep communication open with high-potential employees after they leave. Even if they move on, they may want to return down the road—or refer others.

Ways to stay connected:

• Invite them to reapply during seasonal hiring
• Keep them on your email list for job alerts
• Send positive feedback or performance summaries as a parting gesture
• Reach out personally when a great role opens up

How Homebase helps you manage and rehire boomerang employees

Homebase makes it simple for small businesses to manage current and past employees, track historical performance, and speed up the hiring process when a former team member returns.

With Homebase, you can:

• Maintain detailed employee profiles and time tracking history
• Store exit interview notes and performance reviews
• Track roles, locations, and schedules worked
• Re-onboard returning employees quickly with digital forms
• Post open jobs and communicate directly with past candidates

Explore Homebase Hiring and Onboarding to build a flexible team strategy that welcomes back strong performers—and creates a workplace worth returning to.