Originally found at Ladders

Akin to an old flame you still keep in touch with as a friend, more and more organizations are choosing to actively maintain ties with ex-employees. Why? According to a study from the University of British Columbia, this emerging tactic is effectively a win-win for employers and (ex) employees alike.

If the notion of a business jumping through hoops to maintain contact with former workers sounds bizarre to you, that’s because it is – or at least it was. Traditionally, the onus has been on departing employees to maintain good relations with their old companies, not the other way around. Well, times have changed, and the average professional nowadays has never been more likely to accept another job offer. As more and more workers hop from one position to another, businesses of all kinds have begun prioritizing positive “alumni-organization relationships” (AORs).

“Traditionally, AORs were most common in professional service firms. But as it becomes more common for workers to job hop over the course of their career, we are seeing more organizations investing in relationships with alumni,” says UBC Sauder assistant professor Dr. Rebecca Paluch in a university release.

... The study, published in the scientific journal Academy of Management Review, also notes that  one of the biggest mistakes employers habitually commit is failing to properly support employees as they depart the company, only to swiftly turn around and say they’d like to keep in touch.

Continue reading the original article at Ladders.

Read the original research in Academy of Management Review.

Read the Academy of Management Insights summary.

Learn more about the AOM Scholars and explore their work:

• Rebecca M. Paluch, University of British Columbia
• Christopher Zatzick, Simon Fraser University