Why did so many people jump to a new job over the past 2 years? Some reasons:
- The number of job openings drove up compensation to an attractive level
- Working from home eliminated the cost of child care
- Eliminating commuting costs, meals and Starbucks saved about $5,000 a year
- The flexibility of remote work provided families greater freedom of schedules
- With children’s remote classwork, parents needed to be home with them
What were some of the downsides of changing to a new job during the pandemic?
- Each person had to start all over again establishing their credibility, gaining experience, establishing new connections, relationships and self-worth.
- Some benefits didn’t start on day one, but required days, months or years before eligibility
- Social security withdrawal started all over again, sometimes doubling the costs
- Now, organizations are beginning to open up the office and requiring employees to commute into work, some for only a day or two, while others for a full 5 days.
What’s happening now and why do a number employees want to go back to their old jobs?
- The new job didn’t turn out the way they thought it would or were told
- The strong, positive, supportive relationships they had was lost to a cold, negative job
- The pay increase was not worth the stress or pressure of their new current job
- The work was not as satisfying or the opportunities for advancement not as good
What can you do now and how do you go about going back to an old job? Some thoughts:
- First question is, did you leave on a positive, friendly and upbeat way?
- Second question, was your performance at the higher end of contributions to results?
- Did your supervisor ever say, “If you ever want to come back, we’d love to have you”
- Do you have past co-workers who can tell you if they’re looking for staff?
You’re not alone if you hope to go back to your prior job. A number of people have remorse from jumping to a new job too quickly. Especially if they accepted a job through a Zoom interview without visiting the job site, meeting with co-workers on Zoom, didn’t research the company/job or the management style (autocratic versus participatory). More than half of the population who made the switch are unhappy, and I’m sure more are thinking about making a change.
On the other hand, due to the tightness of the marketplace and the increased demand for qualified workers, organizations are usually open to past employees wanting to come back. Why? Because they are a known quantity, with prior experience in the company and knowledge of the products or services, policies and culture. Past employees are a lesser risk than a complete unknown. Just be honest with your past employer: Explain why you want to return, your comfort zone with them, the skills/experiences/credentials you’ve added while away, and emphasize your wanting to make your employment a longer-term commitment.
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