Just four in 10 respondents would be likely to return to a job they left, with men (44 per cent) more likely than women (36 per cent) to do so, according to research by Monster Canada.
The research also found that 50 per cent of respondents aged 18-34 would return to a previous employer and 36 per cent of that age group have already done so. Seven in 10 respondents aged 55 and older have never returned to a job they left.
“There is tremendous value in the relationships that people establish at work,” said Sheryl Boswell, director of marketing at Monster Canada, in a press release. “Saying goodbye to an employer isn’t always written in stone. These survey results show that, for Canadians, building bridges in your career is critical for unimagined opportunities.”
Read: 35% of employees would expect same benefits on return to former employer
“It appears that millennials are having satisfying experiences at work that may easily draw them back to an employer,” said Boswell. “They sometimes leave equipped with the experience and intention of returning to the employer in a more advanced role.”
When asked for the top reason they would return to a former employer, 23 per cent of respondents would do so for a good salary. This rises to 25 per cent among male respondents. However, the top reason (24 per cent) for female respondents is work-life balance.
Other reasons respondents would be likely to return to a previous employer are: opportunities for growth and personal development (17 per cent); missing their colleagues (17 per cent); work culture (11 per cent); and a desire to work for the company’s current leadership (seven per cent).
Read: Canadian employees more engaged than Americans: study
From a regional perspective, respondents in Quebec are the least likely to return to a former employer, with only 17 per cent indicating they would do so. Also, only 28 per cent of those in Quebec have returned to a previous employer, compared to 36 per cent of Canadians in other provinces.
“Those living in Quebec seem to plan their careers in a more linear pattern compared to the rest of Canadians,” said Boswell. “They may have landed a job because of something they did at a previous employer and continue to build on that foundation and momentum to find better moving forward.”