Would You Rehire an Employee Who Quit?

[Joe Marconi]

Years ago, I had a "No rehire rule." My thinking back then: If someone quits and I rehire them, does that send the right message to the other employees? That they can leave and I would take them back?  However, we are in different times.

Employees, especially techs, have left their jobs in recent years, lured away by better pay, in many cases. But, these employees soon realized that a job (a career) is not all about the paycheck. 

What would you do if an employee came back to you, asking for re-employment? 

 

 

 

[vbtoytech]

My dealership has been doing a lot of re-hiring as they are desperate for technicians.  It sours the atmosphere, as these guys were gone for a reason.

[Joe Marconi]

4 hours ago, vbtoytech said:

My dealership has been doing a lot of re-hiring as they are desperate for technicians.  It sours the atmosphere, as these guys were gone for a reason.

That is a great point. So, when they rehire a tech, it hurts the workplace morale? 

[JimO]

I don’t think that I have ever rehired someone that I fired, and I think that would send the wrong message to the rest of the staff. I can say that over the years I have rehired numerous employees that had voluntarily quit but then came back asking for their job back. What is better for morale: Having an employee quit and other employees see him achieving happiness and success employed by someone else? Or having someone quit only to return to their job with horror stories of why the grass on the other side was not greener? I think it must be very difficult for any employee to decide to leave a job and then a day or a week or a month later decide it was a mistake and ask to come back. 

[vbtoytech]

3 hours ago, Joe Marconi said:

That is a great point. So, when they rehire a tech, it hurts the workplace morale? 

Indeed it does.

[bantar]

LOL.  I just rehired a GS Tech for the 3rd (or 4th) time today.    Customers love him and I do too when his attitude is good.   When he left last time, his attitude soured and it was time for him to go.    Didn't fire him, but was nearing it.   Emotional people have very high HIGHS and very LOW lows.  My emotional roller-coaster tracks are flat and boring.   His are exciting and terrifying!  😁 Regardless, my manager made his demands for return clear and brought him back.    

There are multiple others who've asked to return and we've declined.   It's all about their chance for success today.

[xrac]

I have rehired numerous people simply because the labor market forced me to take who I could get.  How has it worked out? Some were o.k. but none of it has been great.  Some were down right horrible but I knew that when I took them back but I felt I had to do it our close up shop it was so hard to find people at the time.  There are all kinds of reason people leave and sometimes good people can leave for good reasons.  I think a blanket policy to not rehire is not a smart move.  

[vbtoytech]

1 hour ago, xrac said:

I have rehired numerous people simply because the labor market forced me to take who I could get.  How has it worked out? Some were o.k. but none of it has been great.  Some were down right horrible but I knew that when I took them back but I felt I had to do it our close up shop it was so hard to find people at the time.  There are all kinds of reason people leave and sometimes good people can leave for good reasons.  I think a blanket policy to not rehire is not a smart move.  

The dealerships I have worked for have 3 standards for rehire:  was proper notice given when they resigned, do we want them back, and can they still pass all of the screening -drug, motor vehicle, background.  I agree a no rehire policy is a bad policy.  You at least know what you are getting with a rehire - this is a pretty key element.  That person may have not been popular around the shop however, so among the techs it may not be popular - but you sign the checks as the owner.

[bantar]

On 7/13/2022 at 4:30 PM, bantar said:

LOL.  I just rehired a GS Tech for the 3rd (or 4th) time today.    Customers love him and I do too when his attitude is good.   When he left last time, his attitude soured and it was time for him to go.    Didn't fire him, but was nearing it.   Emotional people have very high HIGHS and very LOW lows.  My emotional roller-coaster tracks are flat and boring.   His are exciting and terrifying!  😁 Regardless, my manager made his demands for return clear and brought him back.    

After 2 days of being here, my rehire, Carl, has generated two 5 Star Google Reviews!!   

These will help balance the 1 Star review that we received because we could not bust the oil drain plug loose on a Subaru that was last changed at the dealer.   Subaru finally extracted it and said that we bent the oil pan.  I have pictures of his oil pan.  Not bent, not leaking.   But, they wanted to sell him a new oil pan and get me to pay for it.  They poisoned his mind and he's now mad at me.   I declined and referred him to his Dealer and told him that they are over-selling.    We've seen 3 Subarus over the past 3-4 weeks from this same dealer with over-tightened drain plugs.

[Joe Marconi]

19 hours ago, bantar said:

After 2 days of being here, my rehire, Carl, has generated two 5 Star Google Reviews!!   

These will help balance the 1 Star review that we received because we could not bust the oil drain plug loose on a Subaru that was last changed at the dealer.   Subaru finally extracted it and said that we bent the oil pan.  I have pictures of his oil pan.  Not bent, not leaking.   But, they wanted to sell him a new oil pan and get me to pay for it.  They poisoned his mind and he's now mad at me.   I declined and referred him to his Dealer and told him that they are over-selling.    We've seen 3 Subarus over the past 3-4 weeks from this same dealer with over-tightened drain plugs.

First, great news about the 5-star review that Carl generated! 

As far as the situation with the Subaru oil drain plug, I have been down the road all too often.  Hate it. Stand your ground, and always protect yourself with photos, videos, and documentation. A lesson for all.