One of the most valuable contributions an employee can make to a company is the candid insight they give during their exit interview. The feedback they provide when explaining the reasons for their resignation can be very helpful — as long as you facilitate a productive discussion. Whether you’re conducting the exit interview as the employee’s manager, as part of the HR team, or as the head of the company, make sure you’re prepared for the meeting.
Hold an exit interview for everyone who leaves
You may be tempted to disregard or bypass any critiques given by a worker with whom you didn’t get along. But selectively giving exit interviews only to employees from whom you want to hear can be problematic. As CharlieHR writer Jack Enright explains, “It tells the rest of the company only some people’s views are worth listening to.” Plus, “If you’re discarding the experiences of so-called ‘trouble-makers’ then you’re creating a massive structural blindspot.”
Have a list of questions prepared
Running a beneficial exit interview largely hinges on being prepared. Start by assembling a list of questions to ask — if you don’t already have an effective template that your company follows. Make sure you ask about why they are leaving, what their relationship was like with their coworkers and boss, if they were adequately trained to do their job, and what they would improve about the role or company.
Ask questions in the right way
You’re more likely to get thoughtful, comprehensive responses if you ask questions that compel the interviewee to reflect on their experience during their employment. Open-ended questions that ask “Why?” or “How?” can yield more worthwhile insights than ones that can be answered with simple “Yes” or “No” responses.
Also, make sure your questions are worded in objective, neutral ways. “HR professionals should thus be mindful of how they phrase the questions and whether they may already have preconceived notions about the employee,” advises Rachel Ranosa at HRD. “Such biases can sometimes affect how the interviewer interprets the responses.”
Encourage the interviewee to come prepared
Just as it benefits you as the interviewer to come prepared for the conversation, a productive discussion will also result from the interviewee being ready to answer your questions — rather than entering the meeting blind. Send the departing employee an email with a list of topics you plan on discussing at the exit interview. You don’t have to list all of the specific questions you intend to ask, but make sure they’ve been given sufficient notice to come with answers that aren’t off the cuff.
Pick the right person to hold the interview
You’ll want the interviewee to feel they can be honest and transparent when answering your questions, so make sure you select someone to facilitate the interview who has a comfortable dynamic with the person leaving. Enright suggests achieving this by letting the resigning employee decide who they’d like to conduct the interview — as much as possible.
“It’s well worth trying to make sure that the interviewer is at least ‘one-remove’ higher than the leaver, rather than their direct line manager,” Enright also recommends, in case some of the feedback pertains to that person’s direct boss. Lastly, one interviewer is enough. You don’t want the departing employee to feel they’re being ganged up on.
By holding a well-prepared exit interview, you will hear someone’s perspective on what it was like working for your company. Make sure you use that information to reshape your business’ operations and culture in beneficial ways.