Hiring qualified candidates is challenging in our profession, especially if you’re looking for veterinarians and veterinary technicians. Both are in short supply, putting a tremendous strain on already-strapped practices. That’s why I recommend hiring a “boomerang” employee — someone who leaves an organization voluntarily and later returns. According to LinkedIn, boomerang employees accounted for 4.3% of all new U.S. hires in 2021.
For the sake of this article, I will assume that employees who leave your clinic do so on good terms and would be open to rejoining your ranks. You should consider bringing them back for practical and financial reasons.
Practical Considerations
Boomerang employees might have departed to pursue other opportunities, gain new experiences or address personal issues. However, when they return, they can hit the ground running. Here’s what they deliver the second time around.
1. Awareness of the Practice’s Culture and Processes
Boomerang employees understand your hospital’s mission, vision and internal dynamics. The familiarity translates into a shorter learning curve as newly returned employees quickly adapt to their roles.
2. Institutional Knowledge and Experience
Boomerang employees understand your clinic’s history, projects, clients and vendors, as well as industry-specific nuances. That knowledge can be invaluable in maintaining continuity, especially during transition periods or when specific expertise is required.
3. Existing Relationships and Networks
Boomerang employees established professional connections within the practice earlier. Those relationships with colleagues, superiors and subordinates allow returnees to reintegrate into the team seamlessly.
4. Enhanced Loyalty and Commitment
Having experienced other workplaces and career opportunities, boomerang employees consciously choose to return to a familiar clinic. Loyalty often translates into increased engagement, productivity and longevity.
5. Greater Employee Morale
A boomerang employee’s return can elevate the morale of the existing workforce. Team members see that the organization values its former employees and fosters a supportive environment. Seeing a former colleague again can instill a sense of pride and loyalty among employees, reinforcing the belief that the practice provides growth opportunities and is a desirable place to work.
Financial Considerations
Hiring boomerang employees makes sound financial sense for these four reasons.
1. Lower Recruitment and Hiring Costs
Traditional hiring processes involve advertising job openings, screening resumes, and conducting interviews and background checks. Those tasks can incur significant expenses in time and money. Veterinary clinics can bypass those costs when a candidate’s qualifications, skills and culture fit are well-known.
2. Minimized Onboarding and Training Costs
First-time hires often require mentorships and extensive orientation and training to familiarize themselves with a practice’s processes, systems and culture. Boomerang employees, on the other hand, experienced it all during their previous stints.
3. Accelerated Productivity
Unlike new hires, who need time to acclimate to the culture and workflow, boomerang employees are ready for action. They understand the organization’s goals and internal dynamics, enabling them to integrate into their roles and deliver results quickly. The accelerated productivity translates into increased efficiency and revenue generation as the clinic benefits from the returnees’ contributions sooner.
4. Enhanced Client Relationships
In the case of veterinary practices, the ability to deal well with pet owners is a tremendous commodity for employers. A boomerang employee, especially a veterinarian, likely knows many current clients. Ideally, those pet owners will be pleased to see the veterinarian or veterinary technician again, enhancing their faith in the practice and its services.
The first step in hiring boomerang employees is ensuring that every departing team member leaves on good terms, if possible. Part of the strategy involves exit interviews, during which you can gather feedback from departing employees and understand their reasons for leaving. You can also use the opportunity to express your clinic’s interest in maintaining a good relationship and obtaining consent to stay in touch for potential job openings.
Second, maintain regular communication with former employees through networking platforms such as LinkedIn. Connect with them and engage in occasional conversations or updates.
Third, reach out when you identify a rehiring opportunity. Gauge the former employee’s interest and availability. You never know when someone is open to returning because they realized that leaving your practice was a mistake.
In today’s job market, employers must be willing to explore all avenues for talent acquisition. Boomerang employees are a viable option from a practical and financial perspective. Make them part of your master plan for recruiting, hiring and retaining top talent.
BACK SO SOON?
According to a Harvard Business Review article posted at bit.ly/495axSs, boomerang employees are often open to a return because the second organization “did not live up to the promises it made or the expectations it set when they were hired.”