Changing jobs frequently is a very common occurrence in today’s corporate world. Gone are the days when a person retired from the same organisation which gave him his first salary.
The reasons for people to quit are many, but the most important reason is that they do not find growth possibilities, or that their immediate boss is not effective enough to retain or inspire them further.
But what if we face the exact opposite: When someone quits the organisation and wants to come back? Now, this is a dilemma for the decision-maker.
Chanakya guides us on what to do: “One deserting because of the master’s fault and returning because of his virtue, (or) deserting because of the enemy’s virtue and returning because of his fault, is one deserting and returning on good grounds, fit to be made peace with.” (7.6.24).
So you need to get a total perspective: Why did the person quit? Why has this person come back? And what are the benefits or loss that can happen?
Let’s look at these parameters in detail:
Why did the person quit?
Be honest: Was it your fault as a leader that he left? In that case, he is worthy of a return if you have learnt your lesson and are already working on improving your leadership skills.
Was it in a fit of anger that you fired the person? Or was it some miscommunication? Did the person quit because he found something good in the new employer? In that case, it is a leadership fault, because you did not have that ‘quality’ that your competitor has.
In both cases, the person should be welcomed back.
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