How to Conduct Exit Interviews

Exit interviews enable departing employees to provide candid feedback while also providing human resources with information about team members' experiences. Organizations must conduct exit interviews in order to improve company culture and employee retention.

What Is an Exit Interview?

The offboarding process includes an exit interview. It is a formal conversation between a departing employee, a human resources representative, and/or the employee's direct supervisor. Exit interviews are conducted after an employee has given their notice but before they begin their new job. These interviews can provide useful information about the workplace and employee experiences. Employee exit interviews will be taken seriously by leadership in order to learn more about employee morale and to use actionable insights to inform business strategies ranging from future hiring processes and onboarding to company policies and management styles.

What Is the Purpose of an Exit Interview?

An exit interview allows human resources and the company to learn about an employee's decision to leave and their work experience, both good and bad. Employee feedback can help to explain high turnover rates, illuminate employee satisfaction, and inform future employee treatment. Exit interviews, for example, may reveal a work-life balance issue at the company if employee turnover is high. Employee feedback can result in new company policies that improve the experience for both current and new employees.

How to Conduct an Exit Interview

Exit interviews are frequently part of an HR employee's job description. Exit interviews with management or human resources should be cordial, respectful, and professional. Continue reading for some steps to take when planning the exit interview process:

1. Begin with a survey. For this first stage of the process, each company may have its own exit interview template. Give departing employees an exit interview survey or questionnaire with yes-or-no, sliding scale, and open-ended questions. Allow them as much time as possible to submit their responses.

2. If possible, schedule a face-to-face interview. Employee engagement may be higher in person, so HR managers should schedule this interview as soon as the employee gives their notice as possible. Schedule the interview for the person's last day if they give you two weeks' notice. If someone leaves unexpectedly, reach out and see if you can check in for a few minutes before they leave for a new job or chapter. Exit interviews can also be conducted virtually.

3. Encourage constructive feedback. A performance evaluation is not appropriate during an exit interview. After asking open-ended questions about their experience, let the soon-to-be-former employee lead the conversation. If they are speaking in general terms, follow up and ask for specific examples; the information they share about current employees or policies can influence how a company moves forward.

4. Pay attention to body language. Body language will tell you how comfortable an employee is answering specific questions, so be aware of their presence and proceed with caution and grace.

5. Express gratitude to the interviewee. In this type of interview, discussing job satisfaction or working relationships can be difficult. HR professionals should express gratitude to employees for their responses. Inform departing employees that they can contact you via email or phone if they have any additional comments about their experience.

Exit Interview Questions

HR professionals can categorize exit interview questions into a few groups:

1. Reason for leaving: You could ask in this category, "What about your new job excites you?" What are your professional objectives?

2. Employee experience: In this category, you might be asked, "How has your job changed since you started?" Were you given enough opportunities for growth? How did you get along with your boss? What did you enjoy the most about your job? What did you dislike the most about it?

3. Company culture: Here, HR can learn how employees perceive the culture of the larger organization: What words would you use to describe the company culture? Did you maintain a good work-life balance? Have you ever experienced or witnessed discrimination or harassment?

4. Recommendations: These offer a way forward for the company: How do you envision the company becoming a better place? What would you change about the company if you could?

What to Avoid During an Exit Interview

When conducting an exit interview, an HR representative should avoid certain things. Consider the following suggestions:

1. Do not request that the employee reconsider. At this point, the employee has made their decision, and everyone in the company should respect it.

2. Don't inquire about the new job's salary. You may initiate a discussion about compensation and benefits, but you should not inquire about the employee's new position, if one exists.

3. Don't join in on the employee's whining. If an employee uses this meeting to complain about company culture, listen but do not engage; your job is to be an active ear and document their feedback so that it can inform the company's future success.

4. Don't give any personal feedback. This person's job is done with providing feedback; unless they request professional feedback or advice, this is a time for listening.