The boomerang effect at work: Why well-intended policies backfire

The boomerang effect at work: Why well-intended policies backfire

A workplace “boomerang effect” is what it sounds like: a message, rule or incentive that is meant to improve behaviour ends up triggering the opposite outcome. In social psychology, it is often discussed as a form of psychological reactance, where people push back when they feel their freedom is being restricted and do the very thing they are being told not to do.

In practice, the boomerang effect shows up when employees interpret a policy as controlling, mistrustful or performative. A hardline attendance mandate can reduce discretionary effort or accelerate resignations rather than boost collaboration. A monitoring tool introduced as “productivity support” can erode trust and increase work avoidance. A crackdown on minor expenses can encourage people to stop taking initiative that helps the business, because the organisation is signalling that judgment is not valued. These are not dramatic acts of rebellion. They are small behavioural shifts that add up.

Reactance is one driver: when people feel coerced, they try to restore autonomy by resisting. But there is also a management layer. Employees constantly read signals about what leadership really believes. If a new rule implies “we do not trust you,” people often respond by protecting themselves, doing only what is necessary, and disengaging from the extra effort that is hard to measure but crucial to performance.

The biggest lever is design, not enforcement. Policies that explain the “why,” give room for choice where possible, and include feedback loops are less likely to backfire. So are interventions that remove friction instead of adding policing. When you must set a constraint, acknowledging trade-offs and offering employees some control over how they comply can materially reduce resistance.

You may also hear “boomerang” used in a different workplace sense: former employees who return to a previous employer. Research suggests boomerang hires can have advantages, but outcomes vary based on why they left and how the return is managed.