Navigating the boomerang mobility process: A conceptual framework and agenda for future research

Abstract

What happens when people leave an organization but return to it later? Expanding the dominant organizational and HRM perspectives on boomerang employment, we advocate for a career transition approach that incorporates an individual focus. We define the boomerang mobility process as a series of career transitions, starting with the exit transition from the original employer, and ending with the boomerang transition when that employee returns to that original employer. We offer a comprehensive conceptual model of the boomerang mobility process, including its antecedents, mediating processes, outcomes, and boundary conditions. By providing insights into the organizational and individual considerations that may influence employees' decision to rejoin an organization, this conceptual model expands the career mobility scholarship and offers a more nuanced understanding of individuals' career development.