Office workers in Yeouido stepping out to eat during their lunch break (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, May 27 (Korea Bizwire) – More than 60% of employees in South Korea view being rehired at a previous workplace positively, according to a recent survey conducted by Incruit, a human resources technology company.
In a poll of 1,292 South Korean workers aimed at gauging attitudes toward being rehired after quitting, 16.8% said they felt “very positive” about the prospect, while 45.5% responded “somewhat positive” — a combined 62.3% indicating an openness to rejoining past employers.
The findings highlighted varying perspectives based on job tenure. Those with the shortest careers, employees with under two years of experience and those with three to five years on the job, were most amenable, at 63.4% and 40.9% respectively viewing rehiring positively. In contrast, more seasoned professionals — those with 12 to 14 years and 15 to 17 years under their belts — expressed less enthusiasm, with only 13.4% and 14.8% having a positive view.
Among those open to being rehired, 43.1% cited appreciation for rejoining as an already-vetted worker without needing further vetting. An additional 29.2% pointed to the ability to quickly readapt to the workplace as a key benefit.
Conversely, those negative toward rehiring raised concerns about engendering a mindset that leaving could occur at any time (34.1%), and predictions that rehired workers would be more likely to quit again (26.5%).
The poll found that nearly a quarter (24.6%) of respondents had already experienced being rehired after quitting a prior position. On average, these workers spent two years and four months away before returning.
A majority of 57.5% expressed satisfaction with their rehiring experience. The top reason for rejoining a former employer, cited by 45.9%, was being actively recruited back by the company or a previous supervisor. Failures in securing another job (16.7%) and dissatisfaction with a new workplace (16%) were also significant factors.
Looking ahead, 46.1% of workers said they would consider returning to a prior employer if the key issue prompting their initial departure was resolved. An additional 21.8% were open to rehiring under any circumstances — a combined 67.9% indicating an openness to rejoining past workplaces, while 32.1% ruled it out.
The Incruit survey was conducted over six days from May 14 to May 19, with a sample margin of error of plus or minus 2.64 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
