Exit interviews are a useful way of gaining meaningful feedback from employees before they leave your company. Some of the most common reasons staff leave are for a pay rise, a promotion, better benefits, poor culture, or perhaps something as simple as there is a shorter commute. Whatever the reason, it’s good practice to have an open and honest conversation about their experience to help you improve policy so you can retain your staff in the future.
In this article, we explore the benefits of carrying out an exit interview and what the ideal process is to help you improve your employee retention.
Exit interviews provide several benefits for employees and employers alike:
Benefits of exit interviews for employers:
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A greater understanding of employee sentiments
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Facilitates reporting to compare employee feedback across teams
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Helps to assess their manager’s performance and capability
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Identifies both the positive aspects and recurring problems within the business
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Helps to part on good terms (if there was any negative sentiment)
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Assists with reducing staff turnover in the long term
Benefits of exit interviews for employees:
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Allows employees to share their views
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Provides a more positive end to their experience (if there have been any negatives)
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Makes them feel valued as an employee)
Disadvantages of exit interviews:
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Employees might not be completely transparent
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Exit interviews aren’t beneficial unless followed up correctly
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If the reasons behind them moving on are unfavourable, the exit interview could be a tense experience
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Employees may feel frustrated if they aren’t given the opportunity to provide feedback before resigning
Conducting an Exit Interview
There are a variety of ways to conduct an exit interview. The employer should provide a few different options to find a method that suits the employee. In an ideal scenario, the employee will initially complete a survey that produces quantitative results. This will be followed by a short face-to-face meeting where the employee can expand on certain points in a qualitative way.
Exit interview checklist:
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As the employee if they’d be willing to participate (even if exit interviews are part of your company policy, they’re entirely voluntary)
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Offer the employee a variety of ways to feedback: in writing/a phone call/face-to-face
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Schedule the meeting in the diary (no longer than one hour)
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Ask the employee to complete an exit survey beforehand
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Produce a structured list of questions for the face-to-face meeting
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Allow the employee to view/complete the questions before the exit interview so they’re not caught off-guard
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Conduct the exit interview in a private room
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Store and record the feedback confidentially
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Share the feedback with appropriate members of staff
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Use the feedback to determine action points for the business
Who should conduct an exit interview?
Employers should be mindful of choosing the right person to conduct an exit interview. Typically, this should be someone who comes from a neutral position in relation to the employee. For example, the employee’s direct manager wouldn’t be a neutral choice. It may result in the employee not being fully transparent, particularly if their reason for leaving is linked to their manager.
HR representatives can be a more neutral option in most cases so long as they’re not interviewing somebody from their team. If you don’t have an HR department, a manager from a separate department is also a good choice. The employee needs to feel free to express themselves in confidence. They also need to trust that the interviewers will relay their feedback in an accurate and constructive manner.
How to respect confidentiality in an exit interview
Keeping exit interview feedback confidential can be tricky, but it must remain a priority for employers if they want candid feedback. The employee’s identity should be kept anonymous when delivering feedback. This may be more difficult in smaller organisations where it’s obvious who would have given the feedback. As a workaround for smaller businesses, exit interview feedback could be delivered in ‘aggregate form’ i.e. in conjunction with other feedback such as 360-degree surveys.
When should exit interview feedback not be kept confidential?
There are certain circumstances where the feedback may not remain confidential. These reasons should be made clear to the employee before the exit interview, while some employers may choose to launch an internal investigation or legal proceedings, with the consent of the employee who shared the information.
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With reports of harassment
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With allegations of embezzlement
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With discrimination
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With any accounts that indicate a violation of company policy or law
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In cases where an investigation or disciplinary is required
In conclusion, exit interviews offer both employers and employees the opportunity to reflect on their experiences and part ways on a positive note. However, it’s important to recognise the limitations and challenges of the process, such as the potential for lack of transparency and the need for careful handling of confidentiality.
Nevertheless, with careful planning and consideration of best practices, exit interviews can contribute to a culture of continuous improvement within an organisation. By listening to and acting upon feedback received during these interviews, employers can make meaningful changes that benefit both current and future employees.