When an employee decides to move on to a new role, or no longer wants to work at your company, it’s customary to hold an exit interview for them.
According to a Harvard Business Review study, three-quarters of companies conduct some sort of exit interview for employees, with 70% of these interviews being carried out by HR departments.
These are an important part of an employee’s journey at your company and should be seen as more than just a tick-box exercise.
What is an exit interview?
When someone has handed in their notice, they will typically be asked to attend an exit interview with either their manager or someone from the HR team.
This interview serves two useful purposes. In the first instance, it’s an opportunity for the departing employee to provide feedback or discuss grievances they’ve had while in the role. Secondly, it helps the interviewer to understand why the employee has decided to leave and if there’s anything the company could have done to retain them.
Why are exit interviews important?
As a company, fostering an environment of employees who are happy in their roles and feel committed to their work is important. In order to achieve this, you should ensure constructive feedback loops where employees can provide their honest opinions – especially those employees who have quit their job.
During their exit interview, employees can be honest about the reasons they have for leaving, their experience working for your company, and if there’s anything that could be improved to create a more enjoyable work environment for their peers.
Employees who are leaving a company are typically a lot more honest and open than employees who have no plans to leave. This transparency means that you can often get a lot more insightful feedback that highlights existing flaws and issues within your business.
Using the data collected in exit interviews, companies are able to make changes that can improve existing processes, engage employees, and attract top talent to upcoming job openings.
3 tips for a successful exit interview
Exit interviews should be more than just a box-ticking exercise that HR departments require. Here are three tips that you can follow to conduct a successful exit interview:
- Prepare questions in advance: It’s important for hiring managers to have tailored questions ready for each employee. Those questions should be related to the role they are leaving. They can cover a range of business topics but should be focussed on where there are opportunities for the business to improve.
- Ask the employee to fill out a written survey prior to their exit interview: The interviewer can check the answers before the interview and decide if there’s anything that they would like to discuss further or seek clarity on.
- Ensure that the interview takes place in person: You should also choose a private meeting room where the employee feels like they are able to be honest and open about their experiences with your company.
