Returning Employees Are Not Always a Blessing
In today’s fluid labor markets, it is increasingly common for employees to leave a firm, gain experience elsewhere and then return. These returning employees — called “boomerangs” — appear to offer an appealing mix of familiarity and fresh perspective. But does bringing them back really work? Recent research, published in Organization Science, explores what happens when boomerangs re-enter their old teams. Using data from over two decades of National Basketball Association (NBA) games, we analyzed a concrete and consistent form of help among teammates: the assist — a pass that leads directly to a score. This offered a rare window into real-time, high-stakes collaboration between returning and incumbent team members.
What we found challenges conventional assumptions about rehiring. Boomerangs are, as expected, more helpful than true newcomers. They assist more often — not just to their old colleagues, but also to new ones who joined during their absence. Yet, the surprising twist is that this help is not always reciprocated. Incumbents — especially former teammates — are less likely to help returning colleagues than they are to assist brand-new hires.
Why the imbalance?
Boomerangs tend to hit the ground running. They already know the organizational culture and, often, the people. This familiarity allows them to focus quickly on building — or rebuilding — working relationships. Boomerangs also appear especially motivated to prove their worth, perhaps to reestablish credibility or mend any relational damage left by their earlier departure. The result: higher levels of proactive cooperation.
However, incumbent reactions complicate the story. You might expect old colleagues to welcome boomerangs back with open arms, but that is not always the case. Our data suggests that former teammates assist boomerangs less than they do newcomers. This may reflect lingering resentment, perceived betrayal or simply discomfort over altered group dynamics. New incumbents — those who never worked with the boomerang before — also extend less help to returning colleagues than to first-timers, perhaps unsure of where the boomerang fits in the pecking order.
These dynamics matter. In knowledge-intensive, interdependent work environments, performance hinges on collaboration. When help is one-sided, the integration of returning employees — and the potential productivity gains — can falter.
So what should managers do?
First, don’t assume a smooth re-entry. While boomerangs may bring strategic advantages — shorter onboarding, internal familiarity and proven performance — they can also disrupt the social fabric of a team. Be alert to the possibility that old relationships aren’t as sturdy as they seem.
Second, support reintegration deliberately. Encourage two-way dialogue and mutual expectations between boomerangs and their teammates. Don’t leave it to “muscle memory” or nostalgia. Just because someone used to belong doesn’t mean they’ll be embraced anew.
Third, manage perceptions. Help incumbent employees understand why the boomerang was brought back and what they can add now. If colleagues feel sidelined or threatened, cooperation will wither.
Lastly, consider timing. The longer a boomerang was away, the more their return resembles a new hire. Tailor onboarding and social integration efforts accordingly.
Boomerangs are neither saviors nor saboteurs by nature. Their effectiveness depends less on their individual attributes and more on how their return reshapes team dynamics. Organizations that welcome back old faces should be just as intentional about reintegration as they are about recruitment.
Because, as it turns out, going home again is not quite as simple as it seems.
THE PAPER
Can You Go Home Again? Performance Assistance Between Boomerangs and Incumbent Employees, by Thorsten Grohsjean, Gina Dokko, Philip Yang
