Boomerang employees leave for many reasons, such as study, relocation, caring duties or a job elsewhere, and later return. They already know the systems, culture and often the people, so they tend to need less training. Employers usually review previous performance and the circumstances of leaving before rehiring. Seasonal businesses often see the same people come back year after year for peak periods.
Former staff are a source that costs little to reach, and for frontline roles with high turnover they can fill shifts quickly. Keeping in touch with people who left on good terms, marking them as eligible to return in the ATS and making reapplication simple all help. Returners should still be assessed against the current role's requirements, since both the job and the person may have changed.