I have heard organizational leaders say that they don’t feel that exit interviews are useful because people are leaving and probably have a bad taste in their mouths. I disagree. I feel that exit interviews can be an important tool for retaining and engaging employees if done well.
Departing employees generally have little to lose by revealing information that they may have previously been reluctant to share. As a result, you may uncover important information that you wouldn’t be aware of otherwise.
Here are a few important considerations to make the most of exit interviews.
Who to Do Them With
I recommend doing Exit Interviews with employees who are voluntarily leaving the company. If you let someone go or there is a layoff, you aren’t likely to get objective feedback as people are understandably upset.
The Interviewer
Choose someone who is trained and has the necessary skills to conduct an effective exit interview. Attributes needed are active listening, asking good questions, probing, and the ability to convey trustworthiness. Interviewers should also be comfortable with pauses or silence as the other person thinks through their responses.
To remain objective, interviewers shouldn’t have a direct reporting relationship with the employee or the employee’s manager. Typically, interviewers may be from the HR department (if you have one) or could be a leader from another department or function. Interviewers should position their role as curious team members and demonstrate an openness to the other person's feedback. They should not promise confidentiality as you don’t know what might be revealed but a promise of discretion can be provided.
When to Hold Exit Interviews
Some suggest doing a few weeks after the employee has left so they have time to process. However, it’s difficult to get them to respond as they are busy with their next chapter. I believe that the ideal time is the last day of employment, preferably at the end of the day.
What to Do with the Feedback
You will need to determine the process that you will use in your organization to share results. If you don't do anything with the feedback, then it hasn't been a useful activity. Below are some tips:
Curate the feedback - Departing employees may sometimes use the interview for reprisal by saying nasty things. Before you discuss with anyone, it is suggested that you curate the feedback to determine what is useful to share. In doing this, eliminate phrases or references that degrade actionable information.
Where needed, you may need to help the manager or others create a Personal Development Plan to grow and develop. Or you may develop a plan to use the feedback to inform potential changes at the organizational level.
Possible Exit Interview Questions
What has led you to leave the organization?
What would have changed your mind?
What would make this a better place for people to work?
What about this company would you recommend to friends?
What did you like best, and least, about your job?
How did you feel about the performance feedback you received to do your job?
Did you feel that your manager gave you what you need to succeed?
If you owned this company, what would you make the leadership aware of that you don’t think they know?
What's Better Than an Exit Interview?
A Stay Interview! See last week's blog post.
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