101 Exit Interviews
Seeing an employee walk out the door is often painful, especially if that employee is a high-performing member of the team. But before you let that person leave your office forever, be sure to have a neutral party, preferably an HR manager, conduct an exit interview. Here’s a round-up of expert advice on how to get the most out of an exit interview.
Make it personal. When conducting an exit interview, try to do it in-person.
“Exit interviews are best conducted face-to-face because this enables better communication, understanding, interpretation, etc., and it provides far better opportunity to probe and get to the root of sensitive or reluctant feelings,” say the experts at BusinessBalls.com.
However, according to the same website, if an in-person meeting isn’t possible, or if an exiting employee is particularly shy, a questionnaire may work in a pinch.
After the exit. The employee’s last day is often the default for exit interviews, but some HR experts say that timing is all wrong. For example, Paul W. Barada suggests in an article for HR Magazine that an exit interview should ideally be conducted seven to 10 days after the employee has left the company.
“When you interview them in the midst of an emotional departure, it makes it even more difficult for them to give you the clear, rational responses that you need to improve your workplace,” he says.
Barada recommends informing the employee of the company’s policy to conduct exit interviews and notify them that you’ll be calling in about a week to get their feedback.
“They may not want to discuss your organization on their new job, so give them the option of being called at home,” he says. “When you make the initial call, always offer to call at another time that will be more convenient.”
Return to the supervisor. It’s not enough just to ask the employee why he or she is leaving. It’s also important to ask that employee’s supervisor what they think led to the departure, according to Dick Finnegan of Finnegan Mackenzie Resources, who wrote an article on the subject for RecruitingTrends.com.
“The first key to retention is supervisor accountability,” says Finnegan. By routinely asking supervisors why they lost a staffer, they’ll learn that they are responsible for keeping employees engaged.
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