The concept of “boomerang” employees—who leave and eventually return to their ex-employers—is certainly not brand new, but in the pandemic’s aftermath, the idea is getting more traction with both workers and employers. And, experts say, to take advantage of this growing trend, HR needs to be proactive and strategic.

Recent research from LinkedIn on the phenomenon found that, in 2021, boomeranging accounted for 4.3% of all job switches; in 2010, it was less than 2%. Also, workers are coming back more quickly: Now, the average time for U.S. boomerang hires is 17.3 months after employees leave; it was 21.8 months in 2010. READ MORE