Conducting exit interviews with employees leaving your company is vital in understanding why and how you can limit turnover of quality employees. Exit interviews can provide you with the answers you need. While the Work Institute has some exit interview tips to offer, using a third-party firm specializing in employee retention provides anonymity for exiting employees to be more accessible with their answers.
Things to Keep in Mind Before Every Exit Interview
As Shakespeare wrote, “timing is everything.” In the case of scheduling exit interviews, we agree.
Attempting to conduct an exit interview, even with an outside agency, while an employee still works for your company can hinder the outcome of that interview. Arranging for the exit interview a few weeks following their departure leads to more stable, thoughtful answers.
Best Questions to Ask
There are many potential questions you may want answers to, but overloading a departing employee can overwhelm them. One specific exit interview tip is to offer a written survey followed up with an in-person exit interview. The written questions will be the same for everyone, but depending upon those answers, there can be more unique and open conversations about specific answers.
It is best not to apply too much pressure during an exit interview and to offer the opportunity for someone to refrain from answering any question they may not be comfortable with. And while you might like to know what a particular individual has to say, we always ask whether we can share an individual’s answers or if they prefer to remain anonymous.
Some frequent questions include:
- What is your reason for leaving the company?
- When you first began working for the company, did you feel your orientation and work duties were explained clearly?
- What do you feel the company is doing right?
- What do you feel the company is doing wrong?
- How do you feel conditions could improve?
- What are your overall feelings about working for this company?
- What did you enjoy most about working there?
- What did you least enjoy about working there?
- How do you feel about the department you worked in and your supervisor?
- Do you feel other employees within that department have similar feelings?
- What advice would you offer the individual filling the position you are leaving?
Depending upon the nature of your business, some of these questions may not be proper, while others may be more pertinent.
Questions to Avoid Asking
Exit interviews should focus on the company itself. While we suggest asking for specifics about the exiting employee’s supervisor, it is best to avoid discussing co-workers whenever possible.
Additionally, we suggest avoiding discrimination or harassment questions unless an employee brings something up. While you are looking for the employee’s honest opinion about the company and their decision to leave, we encourage avoiding biased negativity or water-cooler gossip.
Do not agree or disagree with what the employee is saying. While you must show you understand their feelings, you do not want to imply anything further. When discussing their supervisor and any other employee, remain neutral. Concentrate only on the employee with whom you are conducting the interview.
Why Exit Interviews Matter
Every former employee can provide feedback that could be useful in the future and offer key details for department heads and supervisors. An employee retention firm, such as the Work Institute, can compile data and find trends to help you address issues to aid your company.
How We Can Help
Due to the variety and volume of companies the Work Institute deals with, we are uniquely qualified to perform exit interviews helpful for your company and its future hiring and employee retention practices and policies.
Contact the Work Institute to learn more about how we can help you with employee retention and employee exit interviews.
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