Exit interview is a conversation conducted with an employee who is leaving the company. Its purpose is to understand the reasons for their departure, gather opinions and feedback about their work in the company, and gain insights that can help improve the organization. It’s an important human resource management tool, but often overlooked. Do you want to learn how to use it in your company? Keep reading.
High employee turnover hinders development
One of the sources of problems in the labor market is the loss of qualified employees. According to the ManpowerGroup Report, as much as 77% of global companies report difficulties in finding people with specific talents. Recruiting new, qualified employees is becoming an increasing challenge, and losing them is a significant burden for the entire organization. The need to maintain high quality and productivity has become a priority for modern companies. To maintain a positive reputation and high employee satisfaction levels, it is necessary to conduct research into the reasons for their departure to other organizations.
Exit interviews in team management
Introducing Exit interviews into the personnel management process brings many benefits to the company, such as understanding the reasons for an employee’s departure. Direct questions and open conversations with departing individuals allow for obtaining detailed information on this matter. Why an employee decide to leave may be related to various aspects of work, such as a lack of development opportunities, dissatisfaction with financial conditions, an unsatisfactory career path, or interpersonal conflicts.
With the information obtained during the interview, the company has the opportunity to take specific steps to improve working conditions, retain talented employees, and prevent similar situations in the future. This not only means increased employee retention, but also a reduction in costs associated with recruiting and training new employees.
Gathering valuable feedback
Employees who leave the company have a unique perspective on the organization. They can often identify problems that current employees may be too focused on to notice. Their opinions and insights can be immensely valuable to the company in identifying weaknesses and areas that require improvement. This information not only allows for the resolution of existing issues but also enables the adaptation of the organization’s development strategy to the real needs of employees. Gathering this valuable feedback can contribute to improving the quality of work, increasing productivity, improving internal communication, and enhancing the company’s reputation as an employer.
How to prepare for an Exit interview?
Before conducting an Exit interview, it is advisable to carefully construct a list of questions or topics to discuss with the employee. These questions should be open-ended and flexible to encourage the employee to express their opinions and feelings freely. It’s essential that the questions focus on specific aspects of the job and what matters to the employee in the context of their departure.
Sample questions may include:
- Do you have any suggestions or comments about working in our organization?
- Were you satisfied with the professional development opportunities in the company?
- Have you experienced any situations or behaviors that influenced your decision to leave?
- What aspects of your job were most important to you, and which were the least satisfying?
Remember that the goal is to obtain honest answers, so the questions should not be leading or judgmental. It’s a time to listen to the employee and understand their perspective.
Timing and location matter – Exit interview
Another essential step is to plan the time and place for the end-of-employment conversation correctly. It should take place in a location convenient for the employee, where they will feel comfortable expressing their opinions. This could be a private office, a conference room, or even an online meeting.
It’s significant to align it with the employee’s schedule. Try to find a time that won’t disrupt their work or personal life. Avoid conducting the Exit interview on the employee’s last day, when they may be too busy packing their belongings or transferring responsibilities.
Post-employment surveys as an alternative
While the Exit interview may seem stressful or potentially conflict-inducing, it doesn’t mean you should forgo it. An alternative to a traditional discussion after employment ends is a post-employment survey. It allows employees to express their opinions in a more structured and thoughtful manner and provides extensive opportunities for data analysis and storage. With the capabilities offered by tools like Vivelio, insight analysis can be conducted at any time and place, and survey respondents can feel completely at ease.
Conducting a survey can be an especially suitable choice in cases of high employee turnover, a lack of an HR team, or remote employees. If you have concerns about the reasons for someone’s departure and fear potential conflict, a survey can be the best option. Vivelio not only allows for conducting traditional surveys but also enables decision path checking and behavioral analysis using indexes. Check it out yourself by choosing the Trial option.
Exit interview – Don’t hesitate to draw conclusions
Exit interview is a tool that can bring many benefits to a company. It helps understand why employees leave, collects valuable feedback, and improves the organization. We encourage you to implement this process in your company. It’s an investment in human resource development and can contribute to the success and stability of your business. Remember that listening to employees is key to effective human resource management. Want to learn more? Check it out.