Rehiring Exceptional Talent
IN THESE days of high attrition rates when retaining top talent is a mammoth task for a company, rehiring lost talent leaves it gasping for breath. Traditionally, rehiring has been an unacceptable practice. It's pretty hard for companies to digest the idea of employees leaving for greener pastures. Such departures deride their dignity. But in today's scenario, with competition and attrition rates increasing by the hour, companies cannot help but undergo the odious pains of rehiring former employees than crumble under inefficiency. Most of the companies, as a matter of practice, are not sitting tight waiting for former employees to return. They are rather initiating proactive steps to woo them back. If you are planning to lure back some of the ex-employees, it's advisable to go through a checklist before embarking on any such plan.
The initial step: When your organisation is in dire need of a specific talent, you should approach the ex-employee who possesses it. As many would think, the approach is not all about placing a call and making an offer. It's not that an easy task, unless the person himself offers to comeback.
Examination: Before actually deciding to get back a former employee, first know the history of the employee in your organisation.
Reason for quitting: Find out exactly why the employee quit your organisation in the first place. Gather information from his ex-colleagues about his perception of the job while he was working with the organisation. Try to know whether he was dissatisfied or bored with the work. He might also have had difficulty getting along with his colleagues or would have had health problems.
Performance: Try figuring out whether he was an employee who you should have not lost at all. So, compare his performance level with the others who also left your organisation. Check for the quality of work he had done for your company and then determine whether he is the right person for you. Chances are high that you might miss the opportunity of hiring other candidates if you focus on just one of them.
The aftermath: After knowing the candidate's contribution to your company, you had better know his performance with other companies. Also, make it a point to know how many jobs he quit in the past few years.
If the employee had immense talent and left many a job due to unfavourable circumstances, chalk out policies that help you woo him back.
The final approach: Remember that a former recruit can always make a good contribution than a new one. Your ex-employee knows the trick of the trade. So, you don't have to spend much time training him once again. Also know that he can deny the offer at any point of time during your conversation. So, chalk out a complete plan of what you are going to offer him in order to get him back into your organisation.
Do it the right way: You were his former employer, no doubt. But nothing is going to stop him from denying your offer if you have a very unfavourable approach. So, no matter what, put your request in a very polite manner. Start off by explaining why you want him back. Give him valid reasons and let him know that you really need him. Your ego can take a back seat for a while, there's no harm in it!
Terms and conditions of the recall: Be very specific about the terms and conditions of the recall. Loopholes can muddle up the whole affair. Keep the options flexible for most of the things like policies, salary, vacation plans, etc. Try to provide good terms and conditions. If it does not appeal to the person, try and modify it a bit more.
Things that matter: Promotion, reinstated bonuses, perks and the like do matter to an employee. Try to provide more than what he is earning in his present job. Always approach with a promotion in your hand.
This can make a lot of difference. Assure him about the work ethics. Provide solutions to the problems he had faced while he was working with your organisation. Give him the authority he deserves in the organisation.
Rehiring, if done in the right manner, can be a real motivator for the existing staff. Nevertheless, beware; it might also trigger adverse effects. Try to sort out issues with your existing employees if they have any problem with your rehiring an ex-employee. Provide them the confidence and make sure they trust your actions. Deal all the things diplomatically. That will give you what you want!
SRINARDHANI J
Srinadhani.hyd@cnkonline.com
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