Recently we were helping a client with a permanent SAP role and ran straight into a no rehire policy that removed several of the strongest candidates before the process even started.
The role was well defined, the business case was strong, and the market had people who could do the job. Yet the search stalled before it even began because the company had a strict rule that prevented them from rehiring anyone who had ever worked there before.
For most industries this might be a minor inconvenience. In SAP it becomes a structural barrier. The talent pool is small and highly specialised. Certain skills exist in very limited numbers, and some roles have only a handful of qualified people globally. When organisations remove former employees or contractors from consideration, they often eliminate the people who understand their systems, their processes and their business context better than anyone else in the market.
How rehire restrictions slow down SAP delivery and programmes
Many would return to a previous client if the timing was right. They know the environment, they know the stakeholders and they can be productive immediately. Their motivation is usually straightforward. They enjoyed the work, they left for a reason that made sense at the time, and they would be open to coming back if the opportunity aligned with their current goals. Yet they never get the chance because the policy blocks the conversation before it starts.
Blanket Rules Disconnect from SAP Market Reality
Hiring managers experience the other side of this problem. They are responsible for delivery and stability. They need capability quickly and they know that someone who has worked in the environment before can reduce onboarding time and risk. When they are told that these candidates cannot be considered, the frustration is understandable. The business needs expertise, the market is tight and the policy removes the most logical options.
This raises an important question for organisations operating in SAP.
- Should a rehire rule really apply indefinitely.
- Should it be capped to a certain number of years.
- Should it be based on performance rather than previous employment status.
- Should it adapt to the realities of a niche talent market where experience and context matter as much as technical skill.
In a skills short environment, a strict no rehire policy can become a self-created hiring challenge. It can slow down programmes, increase costs and force teams to bring in people who require significantly more time to understand the landscape. The intention behind the rule may be consistency or risk management, but the outcome is often the opposite. It reduces flexibility at the exact moment organisations need it most.
At Brabers we see this dynamic every day. We see the candidates who could solve the problem. And we see the internal rules that sometimes prevent the two from meeting. It is a conversation worth having across the SAP community because the market is not getting any wider and the demand for experienced people is only increasing.
