HR leaders have come a long way from labeling ex-employees as history to keeping in touch with them for sustaining the company’s reputation and brand loyalty. A few decades ago, staying connected with former employees was considered an unthinkable move, and rehiring was a taboo topic. However, with millennials and generation Z making more than half of the workforce in India, job-hopping witnessed a massive spike in the last few years. The young generation is not keen on being tied to one job, one role, and one company forever. They yearn for change, new opportunities, goals, and higher rewards, making the HR leaders rethink their rehire strategy.
Now, there are umpteen reasons why an employee would leave an organization, such as health, family, better opportunities, change of place, etc. And with millennials seeking new roles every 2 or 3 years, the business world witnessed a growing trend among the HR leaders to turn these losses into gains for the former employees and the company. Organizations realized the value of an employee’s loyalty and are keen on capitalizing on this relationship to reinforce their company’s reputation. In context to this, HR leaders started proposing strategies to sustain their relationship with ex-workers.
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Also, former employees who quit the organization on good terms welcomed this new change amongst the HR leaders positively. They want to stay connected and be valuable to a company where they once held a chair, giving HR leaders the impetus to design new rehiring and referral strategies. HR teams started that reconnecting with former employees through social networking apps such as LinkedIn or creating alumni groups on Facebook to keep in touch and stay updated on their professional growth. Likewise, here are five more ways HR leaders are benefiting by staying in touch with former employees:
Referral programs: Former employees are a valuable resource for referral programs. They’ve known the company’s culture, the work, the people, and the administration, so when reached out to, they will recommend relevant candidates for the job openings. And since these referrals are reliable, it will save time and money the HR team would have to invest in looking for the right candidate. Also, the ex-employee will certainly brief the candidate about the company, making it a win-win for both parties. A referral program is one of the best methods for recruiters to strengthen their relationship with former employees and speed up the recruitment process with a good candidate.
Boomerang employees: Decades ago, rehiring former employees were discouraged by organization and HR leaders. However, times have changed. The HR departments are now connecting with ex-employees through social media and keeping a tab on their professional growth in case they want to rehire them for an open position in the future. HRs are now looking at rehiring as a lucrative step since the employee has learned new methods and experiences that can now be beneficial for the company. Also, rehiring will save an organization’s time and money since the employee is already familiar with the know-how of the company and will take less time to ramp up their productivity levels compared to a new employee. Hence, every time there’s a new job position in the company, HRs rummage for boomerang employees first before turning their attention to the open hiring market for a candidate.
Mentorship training: Former employees can be great mentors. They have on-the-job experience, industry knowledge and are aware of the company’s goals and competencies. HR leaders are approaching ex-employees to mentor new hires or interns and help ramp up the productivity levels with bona fide experiences. They want to capitalize on the employee’s expertise and the experiences they gained while working for the company, which will undoubtedly be fruitful for the new joiners. Also, mentorship would be a great plus one on an individual’s resume making these training sessions worthwhile for both the organization and the ex-employee.
Company brand building: Former employees become unofficial brand ambassadors of the organization after they leave. Also, they don’t travel far from the industry, and many of them end up working with competitors. So, it is foreseeable that the HR leaders and executives would want to maintain a cordial alliance with them for a positive endorsement in the open market. Additionally, it also augments brand image and networking through prospective clients and candidates within the industrial circle. Moreover, with websites like Glassdoor becoming a frequent for aspiring candidates to turn to for reviews before joining a company, sustaining good relationships has become imperative for HRs to build a positive brand image amongst candidates and competitors.
Guidance on new trends: Markets and trends are constantly changing, and ex-employees are essential resources to rely on for guidance. HRs can connect with former employees for advice on new trends. More importantly, they can reach out to an ex-employee for recommendations on working conditions, culture, and perks that can help in keeping the current employees happy. With honest reviews, the HR department can make constructive changes in the organization that will benefit them in the long run. Also, positive reviews from ex-employees who have moved on a good note can be lucrative in appealing to potential candidates.
So, it’s safe to state that an employee leaving the company is not (entirely) a loss anymore. Millennials have successfully revolutionized the concept of rehiring and exiting a company on a good note. With several programs advocating a strong and amicable alliance between former employees and the company, the concept is only going to get bigger with the growing margin of next-generation candidates in the workforce.
Presently, organizations are utilizing exit interviews and making constructive changes to the working conditions. They want to maintain a good relationship with the employees and continue the same even after they have moved on to a new opportunity. Also, to give credit where credit’s due— social networking apps such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Glassdoor, etc., have played an essential role in keeping the ex-employees and the organization connected throughout the years. HRs can stay informed about the ex-employee professional growth and reconnect with them effortlessly, thus benefiting the company and strengthening their alliance even more.
References:
- 4 Reasons to Stay in Touch with Former Employees | Business 2 Community | Holy Wade | June 5, 2016
- Why Companies Should Stay Connected with Ex-Employees | SHRM | Geri Tucker | March 19, 2018
- 5 Reasons Employers Should Stay in Touch with Former Employees | Talentcor | Lee Sitarz | April 22, 2019
- 3 Benefits of Staying Connected to Former Employees | HR Technologist | Andrea Meyer | April 13, 2020
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