Why ‘boomerang’ employees are more likely to get a pay rise

Securing a pay rise can be a tricky thing for employees to negotiate, particularly in the current economic climate as experts predict the UK will enter recession before the end of this year.

However, new research has discovered the key to getting extra pay.

According to software firm Visier, ‘boomerang’ employees – those who rejoin their former employer after leaving for a period of time – scored pay increases of up to 28% in the first four months of this year.

That compares with an average rise of just 10% for workers changing jobs, Pew Research Centre revealed, as reported by Business Insider.

To gather the data Visier analysed three million employee records at 129 global organisations, which found that around a third of external hires between January 2019 to April 2022 were boomerang employees, who returned 13 months after leaving on average.

It discovered that 40% of these workers obtained management roles above their previous level.

Andrea Derler, principal of research and value at Visier, explained that staff members who leave a business then choose to return at a later date tend to use their knowledge of the company, as well as added external experience to grant them higher pay.

Reflecting on staff leavers, she stated that organisations should look to reward and engage high performers more in order to retain their top talent, for example by offering pay rises and promotions at least every two years.

She also noted the importance of having positive working relationships, as she explained this is the most common reason as to why an individual may leave a company.

Derler told CNBC: “It sounds like an HR skill, but the onboarding skills of a manager in the first year can’t be overstated enough.”

Taking the time out to engage new hires in a business’ culture and social networks was also considered a priority for managers by Derler.

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