Exit interviews: don't just say goodbye

Exit interviews can be just as important as the interviews you conducted when you hired an employee. When an employee leaves your organization, it’s important to get feedback on their experience. In most cases, a member of the human resources department carries out the interview.

Purpose

During an exit interview, you ask your former employee for their feedback on your organization, their experience and reasons for leaving. Sometimes, you can even help resolve issues, leading the employee to stay. In any case, an exit interview provides a learning opportunity for your organization and may help you to make changes that result in improved employee retention.

The benefits of an exit interview include:

• Understanding what made an employee leave and what would have made them stay

• Discovering unsatisfying aspects of their job

• Weighing the importance of salary and benefits versus other job factors

• Gathering input about how other employees could be retained

• Gaining insights about the employee’s manager and co-workers

Format

Most exit interviews take place in person. But these meetings are voluntary – you can’t force a former employee to take part. Some employees prefer to fill out a survey instead. If they consent, you may be able to discuss the survey with them after.

Follow-up

Where possible, document and review your findings. Set aside time to analyze this information and, if appropriate, transfer this new knowledge into improved programs and processes. An exit interview means the end of one employee relationship, but it’s a great opportunity to turn around relationships with existing and incoming staff.