The workplace: A horse that returns to its former master must be a good horse

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As the saying goes, “A good horse doesn’t eat grass from where it came.” But for a company, it holds great significance when a \"good horse\" that has left comes back to graze. However, many companies dismiss this idea or even view it with concern. For example, Schneider, a established multinational company with a history of over 140 years, has an unwritten rule: it \"never tries to retain\" employees who wish to leave, and it \"does not rehire\" those who have left. 　　 　　The HR manager at Schneider said, “We believe that when employees decide to resign, they do so after careful consideration; most employees do not leave their jobs due to issues related to compensation.” According to our turnover analysis report, employees who leave their jobs solely due to salary make up only 1% to 2% of the total. The majority have various other reasons, such as personal reasons like going abroad or immigrating, or being unable to cope with the high work pressure; of course, some also move to work at competing companies. For such employees, there is no need for the company to try to keep them once they submit their resignation; after all, if someone decides to resign, it means their heart is no longer with the company. Attempting to retain them by changing their role or increasing their salary will not enable them to work honestly and diligently. We want to give our employees a clear idea: if you want to leave, do so without hesitation, and don’t use leaving as an excuse to seek any benefits. By implementing such a method, our company’s turnover rate has actually decreased compared to before. ” 　　 　　Then why is Schneider (China) reluctant to rehire former employees? “We believe that most of the employees who resigned from the company, aside from personal reasons, went to the company’s competitors. Returning to the company from a competing organization is something we tend to avoid. Because excessive frequent movement of personnel between several competing companies is not conducive to the healthy development of the company ； Furthermore, since you have left our company, returning would be unfair to those employees who have worked diligently to contribute to Schneider’s long-term development. Generally, employees who change jobs are seeking higher positions, and if they return they will also demand higher positions, which amounts to taking a shortcut in terms of their career progress. 　　 　　“A good horse turns back – so what’s the good of that? 　　 　　In job advertisements, we often see phrases such as: “experienced, with relevant industry experience, in line with the company culture…” and so on. For a horse that is willing to return, these conditions are perfect. 　　 　　1. Familiarity with the company’s internal and external environment Ma has substantial work experience within the company, and he is very familiar with both the broader industry environment (macro policies, consumers, competitors, etc.) and the company’s internal environment (systems, culture, etc.). At this point, the company basically doesn’t need to train him; he can quickly integrate into the team and take on his responsibilities. 　　 　　2. Companies need to understand potential candidates who might return. In the recruitment process, many potential traits cannot be identified through resumes, written tests, or interviews. Especially positions such as sales, marketing, and management require high standards in terms of personal qualities, unlike technical roles which primarily focus on assessing skill-based knowledge. At this time, rehiring former employees carries much less risk than hiring new ones. 　　 　　Because the \"returning employee\" has a track record of actual work in the previous company, and his successful achievements, failed attempts, as well as employee evaluations allow the company to be well aware of his strengths and weaknesses. 　　 　　If it’s a good horse with a proven track record of success, why not hire it again? 　　 　　3. New knowledge, experience, and perspectives 　　　Those who leave take up jobs at new companies, start their own businesses, enter new industries, or assume new positions; they are sure to bring new experiences and knowledge to the company, especially new ways of thinking and perspectives on issues. These are return visits that not only help to understand the situation of the company but also allow one to learn new things; they are somewhat like \"turtles,\" capable of bringing new trends and fresh energy to the company, acting as a fresh stream of blood that injects new vitality into it. 　　 　　In particular, many of these returning employees have reached a new level in terms of professional development and knowledge, enabling them to create more value for the company. For example, someone like Jason who relearns a new skill that the company urgently needs is a real boon to the enterprise. 　　 　　Do you still adhere to the concept that a good horse doesn’t eat grass from where it came? 　　 　　The world today should advocate that a good horse is willing to eat the grass it has already grazed. There is a fable about a wheat field, in which a group of students asked a philosopher: What is the best kind of love? The philosopher asked the students to go to a wheat field and find the largest wheat ear, but they were not allowed to look back. The students saw some relatively large wheat ears; thinking there were even larger ones ahead, they continued moving forward, and as a result, none of them was able to pick the largest wheat ear. The philosopher said: This is love! Reading such fables gives one the impulse to wonder why not go back and pick those wheat ears that were seen before Imagine in infinite space; we indeed cannot determine the best, but with limited resources we can always compare and see who is better. How can you know if a horse is easy to ride if you’ve never ridden it? How can one make a choice without any comparison? In love, there is always a chance to turn back; all those who choose to turn back are beautiful! Because only when separated do you realize how much you cherish someone; without being apart, you don’t know how deep the love in your heart is. 　　 　　The world is changing every minute, and our understanding of it evolves moment by moment. If love can change direction, then why can’t career choices do the same! A good horse doesn’t eat the grass it’s already been on – this is not a good attitude toward life. However, your words reveal the contradiction in your thinking; you tend to see the negative side of things and fail to notice the positive side. Improved rules and regulations should be a blessing for a hardworking and ambitious person; effort always yields rewards. If this is also bad, your professional attitude needs to be adjusted. Choosing a career is equivalent to choosing a way of life. Young people are always full of curiosity, and choosing new careers to expand their experience and skills is very important for professional growth. Today’s companies encourage employee mobility, with typical transition periods ranging from one and a half to three years; growing through such transitions is an essential path for modern people to develop their professional skills. 　　 　　Our understanding of the world is also changing moment by moment; if love can change direction, then why can’t career choices do the same! A good horse doesn’t eat the grass it’s already been on – this is not a good attitude toward life.