article published Thorsten Grohsjean author Gina Dokko author Philip Yang author 100432 681 department <jats:p> Boomerangs, that is, rehires, should have advantages over other new hires when integrating into an organization due to their familiarity with the work context and their pre-existing relationships. However, research suggests that the effects of hiring boomerangs may not be straightforwardly positive. To better understand these effects, we investigate how boomerangs’ social integration into a work team differs from that of other new hires due to their pre-existing relationships and how those relationships shape their and incumbents’ competence and motivation to provide assistance for collective performance. We theorize and find that boomerangs, compared with new hires, exhibit more performance assistance toward incumbent former and incumbent new colleagues. In contrast, incumbent former colleagues do not direct their performance assistance toward boomerangs, contrary to our prediction, nor do incumbent new colleagues. This study contributes to the nascent literature on boomerangs and the literature on job mobility by finding evidence that prior relationships condition the behavior of both boomerangs and incumbents. </jats:p><jats:p> Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2022.16685 . </jats:p> Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS)2024 eng 1047-7039 1526-545510.1287/orsc.2022.16685 362918-939 T. Grohsjean, G. Dokko, and P. Yang, “Can You Go Home Again? Performance Assistance Between Boomerangs and Incumbent Employees,” <i>Organization Science</i>, vol. 36, no. 2, pp. 918–939, 2024, doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2022.16685">10.1287/orsc.2022.16685</a>. Grohsjean, Thorsten, Gina Dokko, and Philip Yang. “Can You Go Home Again? Performance Assistance Between Boomerangs and Incumbent Employees.” <i>Organization Science</i> 36, no. 2 (2024): 918–39. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2022.16685">https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2022.16685</a>. Grohsjean T, Dokko G, Yang P. Can You Go Home Again? Performance Assistance Between Boomerangs and Incumbent Employees. <i>Organization Science</i>. 2024;36(2):918-939. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2022.16685">10.1287/orsc.2022.16685</a> Grohsjean, T., Dokko, G., &#38; Yang, P. (2024). Can You Go Home Again? Performance Assistance Between Boomerangs and Incumbent Employees. <i>Organization Science</i>, <i>36</i>(2), 918–939. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2022.16685">https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2022.16685</a> Grohsjean, Thorsten, et al. “Can You Go Home Again? Performance Assistance Between Boomerangs and Incumbent Employees.” <i>Organization Science</i>, vol. 36, no. 2, Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS), 2024, pp. 918–39, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2022.16685">10.1287/orsc.2022.16685</a>. @article{Grohsjean_Dokko_Yang_2024, title={Can You Go Home Again? Performance Assistance Between Boomerangs and Incumbent Employees}, volume={36}, DOI={<a href="https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2022.16685">10.1287/orsc.2022.16685</a>}, number={2}, journal={Organization Science}, publisher={Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS)}, author={Grohsjean, Thorsten and Dokko, Gina and Yang, Philip}, year={2024}, pages={918–939} } T. Grohsjean, G. Dokko, P. Yang, Organization Science 36 (2024) 918–939. 594582025-04-09T13:25:46Z2026-02-20T13:55:21Z