Around 1 in 3 employees in Japan have considered returning to their previous employers, which could prompt companies to look into former workers for prospective hires amid a tight labour market, reports the Japan Times, citing a survey by Tokyo-based career site Mynavi. The reasons for this varied, from shifts in personal circumstances after they quit their jobs, to a newfound appreciation for their former workplace after leaving, according to the survey released in July.

Meanwhile, employees who maintained regular contact with former colleagues were more likely to consider returning, with 65.6% expressing a desire to go back, compared with just 15.8% of those who had no longer maintained contact.

Akari Asahina, a survey analyst at Mynavi’s Career Research Lab, said, ““Given that around 30% of job changers have considered returning to a previous employer, companies should focus on creating environments that encourage alumni to come back. Even something as simple as maintaining contact with former employees could have a positive impact.”