After your state reopens and things get back to some semblance of normal, you may find yourself in a position where you want to rehire workers you’ve previously laid off.
It’s not a bad position to be in, considering the economic impact of this crisis.
But we’ve all had to make hard decisions, and a great worker who has been laid off may not stay unemployed for long (depending on the industry and economic climate).
If you’re looking to rehire someone who has already found a new job, here’s what you need to do.
Reach out to your previous employees
Whether they’ve found new jobs or not, Law360 recommends keeping your liability low by offering jobs to your previous employees before looking for new people to fill those positions. And depending on the separation agreement, you may be entitled to receive any severance monies paid back after rehiring your laid-off employees.
Naturally, this wouldn’t be an appealing option for someone who already has another job, though. So if you find yourself in this position, you’ll have to weigh the benefits of getting the severance package back or getting the employee back.
You probably don’t have a legal obligation to hire anyone you’ve laid off (unless you’ve promised them their job back), but going this route can help you avoid wrongful termination lawsuits.
Offer an attractive package
If someone has already found a suitable job, you’re going to have to offer something enticing to get them back. And keep in mind that this doesn’t always have to be in the form of monetary compensation.
You can offer things like flex time, gym memberships, vacation time or something else they may find appealing. Unless their old job with you was inherently more appealing than what they’re doing now, you’re going to have to up the ante to get a former employee back.
Rely on relationships
If you’re really interested in getting a former employee back, it’s probably because they’ve done a great job and you have a positive and longstanding history. And you can bet it’s not just you who misses your employee. If you want to rekindle that professional relationship, approach it in a more personal way.
Instead of sending an email, pick up the phone and call that employee. Talk to them about what’s going on and why you really want them to rejoin the team. Talk about how you see their future at the company and how you expect that you’ll grow together. There are always more opportunities for an employee at a company when they have positive reinforcement from management.
If you can make that person feel comfortable, they may rejoin you. Just be sure to follow through on any promises and avoid promising anything you can’t deliver. This will only turn a good employee into a disgruntled one.
When you do get that employee in for a face-to-face, treat it like a second interview. You already know enough about this person to know they’re a good fit. Now, you’re just gauging their attitude and interest.
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