Hyro Blog

The pandemic threw a wrench in the plans of many organisations, and Flight Centre was no exception. Faced with unprecedented challenges (yes that word again), they made the tough decision to downsize, standing down nearly 70% of their workforce, in the hopes of surviving the storm. For two long years, they adapted to a new reality with virtually no business as borders remained closed.

As Australian borders began to re-open, Allisa O’Connell and her team at Flight Centre knew it was time to focus on rebuilding their talent pool. They needed a strategy that would allow them to quickly re-engage and bring back their talented alumni. Enter the innovative recruitment marketing method they dubbed the ‘Forever Flighties’ program.

This approach was a game changer! Flight Centre used Page Up’s Recruitment Marketing function to re-engage and hire alumni talent. This happened FAST. Using this marketing method they re-hired ex-employees, reducing their cost per hire to an astonishing $2 and achieving a time to hire of just 4 hours. Yes, you read that right!

Since the launch of this program, 45% of successful hires have come from their alumni channel. They’ve even embedded this initiative into their offboarding process, allowing ex-employees to opt-in for news, job alerts, and alumni stories—inviting them to “come back home.”

What’s particularly inspiring is how Flight Centre leveraged a familiar method in a new way. Previously, they focused on using Recruitment Marketing to attract and nurture top talent, but realising they could also engage their alumni network transformed their strategy. This shift has reportedly saved them up to $35,000 per alumni hire. They’ve even created a dedicated career site for their alumni, underlining their commitment to both current and former staff.

This case study is a testament to the power of data-driven recruitment strategies and the importance of investing in your people. Flight Centre shows the need to be creative in your recruitment methods.

Sometimes, the simplest idea—like reconnecting with alumni—can yield incredible results. It saves time, money, but also shows dedication to your workforce, setting you up for a strong employer brand. By focusing on recruiting, retaining, and returning talent, Flight Centre has been able to fill open roles quickly and support their existing team.

Are you looking to revamp your recruitment strategy? Consider how you might tap into your own alumni network. It could be the key to unlocking talent and building a strong employer brand.

Have a workplace or talent related question for the team at HYRO? We would LOVE to hear from you! Contact us at contact@hyroblog.com

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