Zomato founder Deepinder Goyal has sparked a new debate in the corporate world by inviting former employees to return, highlighting the growing trend of “boomerang employees,” which is reshaping talent retention and recruitment practices in India and globally.
In a corporate world where layoffs can happen overnight and exits are often final, Goyal took a different approach. In a recent post on X, he invited former employees to rejoin the company, saying the door had never truly closed. He stated, “If you left the company, or ever had to leave, the door is not closed. If you want to come back, please do so.”
The company, now under Eternal, says it is more structured and self-aware, sending a rare message in modern corporate life: former employees are welcome to return. More than 400 employees have already rejoined, some for the second or even third time. This reflects the growing HR trend of boomerang employees—professionals who leave, gain experience elsewhere, and later return with new skills and perspective.
What is a Boomerang Employee?
A boomerang employee is someone who leaves a company and later returns to work for the same organisation. The term comes from a boomerang, an object that returns after being thrown. Similarly, employees leave to gain experience and eventually come back with improved skills and a broader outlook.
Former employees often understand company culture, adapt quickly with teams, require less training, and bring new external experience. These factors make boomerang hiring beneficial for organisations.
The idea gained momentum after the COVID era, when job markets became unstable and millions changed roles quickly. Companies realised that rehiring trusted former staff was faster and more effective than hiring and training new employees from scratch. Today, in many organisations—especially in the tech sector—boomerang employees account for every third or fourth hire.
The trend is global. Companies such as Google, Microsoft, Deloitte, and McKinsey maintain alumni networks to stay connected with former staff. Meta has also rehired employees in improved roles after layoffs, showing a shift toward maintaining long-term professional relationships.
Deepinder Goyal founded Zomato in 2010 as a restaurant listing website. It later expanded into one of India’s largest food-tech companies, adding services such as quick commerce through Blinkit, supply solutions via Hyperpure, and social initiatives like Feeding India.
The rising trend of boomerang hiring shows that the corporate world is now focusing on maintaining relationships rather than breaking them. By rehiring experienced and trusted former employees, companies are building faster, more effective, and stronger teams.
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