The Importance of Exit Interviews

When an employee is out the door, the tendency is to focus on his or her replacement rather than looking for concrete reasons behind the resignation. The fact is, staff turnover affects an organization as a whole.  

The information collected in an Exit Interview can give a unique perspective on a company’s performance and employee satisfaction. Discovering why employees leave should be an essential part of a company’s strategic planning, but many miss the opportunity. The reasons employees leave are varied and may provide valuable information for the company. 

HR professionals generally agree that a company should have a formal policy regarding the exit interview which should be extended to all departing employees - not just key performers or long timers. An exit interview is as important as a candidate interview and should be taken seriously. 

By their nature, exit interviews can become confrontational and it is more important to listen than to speak. It is also vital to examine who will conduct the interview. The interview is not meant to reverse a resignation, but rather to reduce future turnover by learning what might be causing good people to resign. Therefore, the interview should never be done with the employee’s direct supervisor. An HR Manager is often the appropriate person to approach the employee. However, you can not legally force anyone to take part in an exit interview, and sitting down with any internal member of staff might cause an employee to question the confidentiality of their feedback and who has access to it. Having said that, investigative questions should be asked. In some cases, a third party can be brought in to to do an exit interview. Via phone, email or on-line questionnaire, they manage the entire process, providing greater confidentiality and encouraging a higher rate of participation.

Regardless of method, the information obtained during the Exit Interview must be shared with decision makers in order for positive change to occur. Rather than chalk it all up to a disgruntled employee, smart companies will take the time to analyze data to discover trends or patterns that might otherwise go unrecognized. They will then use this information to adapt their policies to better meet employee needs. This effort would pay off with higher morale and better employee retention.