Follow the trails: A path to systematically designing corporate alumni programs

Abstract

• We propose a comprehensive & systematic approach for designing corporate alumni programs (CAPs). • Engaging corporate alumni can help reduce the burden brought on by increased employee mobility. • CAPs serve as a means for extending the employee lifecycle by engaging alumni in meaningful ways. • There is increased interest in CAPs, but few strategic recommendations from scientific research. • We use content analysis and instructional system design to provide a structured process to develop CAPs. • We offer the TRAILS typology to categorize and intentionally choose CAP practices to offer. Organizations today are facing increasing amounts of turnover and evolving labor markets. When employees leave they become corporate alumni, which initial research suggests are an important and valuable part of an organization’s network. Corporate alumni can provide value as brand ambassadors, a source of employee referral, as a return employee (i.e. boomerang), or through knowledge sharing. One way to establish a strong network of alumni and achieve some of these benefits is to establish a corporate alumni program (CAP). Although CAPs are increasingly being recognized as beneficial for organizations, little is known about how to systematically design and implement these programs to enhance the likelihood of success. In this article, we utilize instructional systems design processes to offer guidance for how to strategically develop CAPs. We analyze existing programs to highlight common elements and use this research as a basis for creating the TRAILS typology, a way to designate practices for CAP implementation. We also suggest ways to evaluate and determine whether these programs are successful.