The Boomerang Effect: Why Some People Leave, Learn and Come Back
Over the last few years, more people across the UK have taken what has become known as the boomerang career path. It is exactly what it sounds like, someone leaves a role for a new opportunity, gains fresh experience and perspective, and then chooses to return to their previous employer.
While this may not have been the norm a few years ago, it is now a familiar part of how people move through their careers. We have seen that people often move on when they are looking for more growth, a new challenge or a change in environment, but many choose to return once they reflect on what they valued most. Culture, leadership, flexibility and feeling genuinely supported come up time and time again as the reasons people decide to come back.
At Quorum, we see this first‑hand. We are proud of the people who join us for the first time, but we are just as proud of those who choose to return. That decision says something meaningful about how it feels to work here and about the relationships people build along the way.
With the boomerang career path becoming a more familiar part of how people move through their careers, we wanted to better understand what draws people back to Quorum. We spoke to a number of our boomerang colleagues and asked them to reflect, in their own words, on their decision to return and how their experience has evolved since coming back.
Connor Hislen, IT Support Analyst
Leaving Quorum gave me valuable perspective and helped me recognise what I valued most in a workplace. While I gained new experience elsewhere, I realised how much I missed Quorum’s culture, the friendliness across the business and the support I had when it came to developing my career, with the relationships I had built playing a big part in that.
Returning felt like the right decision, and I have really enjoyed reconnecting with colleagues and customers, while also seeing how the business has continued to move forward through new systems and new people joining the team.
Ross Knowles, IT Support Analyst
For me, the biggest factor was always the people. After leaving, it became clear how much I missed the team spirit and the familiar humour that made working at Quorum so enjoyable, and those relationships played a major role in my decision to return.
Coming back felt comfortable and familiar, but it was also clear that the business had not stood still, as new team members have joined and improved systems are now in place, showing how Quorum continues to progress.
Aakanksha Goyal, Developer
What stood out most once I had left was Quorum’s learning culture. I really missed the opportunities to upskill, collaborate and learn from the people around me, as those chances to grow and work closely with others were difficult to find elsewhere.
Since returning, I have enjoyed being involved in meaningful, high‑impact projects and, although the organisation has grown, the core values and supportive environment that originally attracted me remain firmly in place.
Why Boomerang Employees Matter
People who return to Quorum bring something unique with them. They already understand the organisation and its values, but they also come back with new skills, fresh perspective and a clear sense of why this is the place where they do their best work. There is no guesswork involved, because they know exactly what they are choosing.
For us, this reinforces something we care deeply about. Community, collaboration and feeling genuinely supported truly matter, and sometimes it is only when you step away and experience somewhere new that the difference becomes clear.
The boomerang effect is not about people leaving, It is about what brings them back. And for Connor, Ross and Aakanksha, it has been genuinely great to welcome them home.
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18 Greenside Lane Edinburgh
UK EH1 3AH
Phone: +44 131 652 3954
Email: marketing@quorum.co.uk
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