Indirect Benefits of Corporate Alumni Programs

by Laura Belyea, COO at Talivest

We’ve talked plenty about the benefit of adding a corporate alumni program to attract boomerang employees down the road. However, there are other positive outcomes for your company if you implement an alumni plan and stay in touch with a network of current and former employees. Here’s a few common outcomes which are a little less obvious.

Brand Ambassadors
If you’re in HR or Talent Acquisition, chances are you’re seeing this trend in action: Professionals in their 20s and 30s are changing jobs far more than a decade back. In some cases, workers may hold 5 or more positions in the first 6 years of their working life. Those frequent job changes don’t mean they’re fed up with former employers; they may just be moving on to new opportunities. Many even still have positive memories of former employers. Why not leverage this for positive brand recognition by keeping alumni in the loop as your company grows, hires and evolves?

Contractors
The legal, consulting and accounting fields are industries which were early to embrace the corporate alumni program concept . They’re also savvy about using seasonal and contract employees. If the arrangement benefits all parties, why not bring a former employee back for contract work? They don’t need to be trained, introduced to colleagues or monitored as closely as a new hire. Contracting former employees can work well for everyone under the right circumstances.

Referrals
Perhaps a close second to hiring or contracting a former employee is having them send you a qualified candidate. Even if the time isn’t right for a former employee to boomerang back, they may know someone who is a good fit. Staying in touch through your corporate alumni platform allows you to let them know when you’re hiring, and what you’re looking for. Everyone enjoys making a useful introduction.

As I’ve stated before, corporate alumni programs are all about connections and efficiency. Why not use a friendly network of colleagues and alumni to solve a business issue like a new hire…saving time and money in the process?

About the author
Laura’s role is to successfully support the growth and strategy for Talivest, as well as provide product support with her expertise within the HR industry. Previously posts were director of HR & operations in Telefonica, Elizabeth Arden and ICON