A boomerang employee is a worker who voluntarily leaves an organization and later returns for employment a second time. These individuals can be valuable because they require less onboarding, already understand company culture, and often bring back new skills and perspectives gained elsewhere. 

Rehiring former employees can reduce time-to-productivity and recruiting costs while strengthening institutional knowledge. However, not every return is the right fit, so employers should carefully evaluate quality-of-hire by considering past performance, reasons for departure, and current business needs before extending an offer.