According to a study by the consultant Robert Walters, 71% of professionals say they would not mind returning to the company they worked for before the pandemic, of which half admit that the reasons why they resigned in said company They do not apply in the current job market.
The same survey shows that 45% of the professionals who resigned from their position after confinement it was due to a more attractive salaryand 35% for the search for a corporate culture more aligned with their personal values.
Now, two years later, 48% of professionals admit that their current company no longer meets their expectations, of which one in three confirms that it is due to the rising cost of living since the remote work model is no longer so attractive to them (24%).
andres jimenezSenior Business Manager at Robert Walters, has stated: “After the pandemic, and when the social and health situation calmed down, we experienced a stampede of professionals seeking to change jobs, what we know as ‘The Great Corporate Resignation’. However, in some countries we are seeing the first signs of what we might call ‘The Big Regret’, as reported by 71% of professionals who are open to returning to their previous employer just 18 months after leaving.”
Throughout 2021 we were able to record record wages, accompanied by promises of a hybrid and flexible culture. Today, many of those salaries have been frozen and, taking into account the increase in the cost of living, many professionals no longer see their work and their company with the same eyes.
This is one of the reasons why We are seeing more and more turnover in companies.. Today, the best-prepared and most sought-after professionals rotate companies every 6 or 12 months in search of a small salary improvement or conditions, without any type of commitment or sense of belonging. In other countries such as the United States or the United Kingdom, a large number of these profiles are returning to their previous companies, however, in Spain it is more common movement between companies in the same sector to be the “star signing” of the competition.
This can be considered double-edged weapon. In most cases, it is more beneficial to stay with the company that offers an ambitious and consolidated career development plan, than to switch to an organization with dubious projects in exchange for an attractive salary increase.
What companies think of boomerang workers
82% of the professionals surveyed admit that in the last year they have kept in touch with their previous manager, with 29% confirming that they have done so in case issues arise. new job opportunities.
Only one in five professionals has completely closed the door to their previous company, with 18% stating that they do not maintain any type of contact with their previous manager.
According to the aforementioned survey, 44% of the hiring managers (both human resources profiles and team managers) affirm feeling hesitant to accept an employee back who left the company. On the other hand, only 1 in 5 managers confirm that they would only take this candidate into account if he had been an exemplary and exceptional person in his work.
While the job market has slowed slightly globally, the talent shortage continues. Because of this, hiring managers should be open to all profiles, regardless of whether they have already been part of the company or not.
One of the greatest advantages of incorporating a former employee is that this professional you are already familiar with the processes and has received the necessary training to know how to carry out its tasks and meet its objectives.
“Robert Walters colleagues in other countries tell us: The best way to deal with the talent shortage is to rely on the experience of boomerang workers, who can now join the company in a more senior position than when they left. In Spain this trend is still somewhat anecdotal, but we do hope that more and more hiring managers are open to covering certain positions with the profiles that want to be part of the organization again ”, explains Andrés Jiménez, Senior Business Manager at Robert Walters.
