How to Conduct an Exit Interview

Employee turnover is an inevitable part of running a business, but each departure is an opportunity to acquire valuable insights that can help with future hiring decisions. A well-structured exit interview can give organisations some crucial feedback on their workplace culture, the pros and cons of current management, as well as areas for improvement. If these interviews are conducted properly, they can actually help to refine your retention strategies and ultimately make the overall employee experience more enjoyable.

This helpful guide will walk you through how to conduct an exit interview, covering all the essential questions to ask and best practices. We’ve also included an exit interview template that you can customise to streamline the offboarding process at your workplace.

What is an exit interview?

In its most basic sense, an exit interview is a conversation between the departing employee and – most commonly – an HR representative. It’s a way to collect insights into the employee’s experience on the job and their reasons for leaving. Unlike performance reviews, exit interviews are more about understanding the systemic issues within the organisation rather than assessing the individual’s contributions.

Businesses use exit interviews to spot patterns in why employees have departed the company so they can then implement meaningful changes around workplace satisfaction and retention strategies.

Why conduct an exit interview?

Exit interviews give you a chance to gather the most honest, constructive feedback. Employees who are leaving are, for the most part, more willing to share their thoughts openly. This means you can get insights on topics that current employees might hesitate to voice for fear of reprisal. Here are four reasons why exit interviews matter:

1. Improving employee retention: They allow you to spot recurring issues that are contributing to turnover so you can subsequently adjust your company policies or leadership styles to reduce employee attrition.

2. Making the company culture more attractive: Once you understand exactly what employees value – or dislike – about your workplace culture, the HR team can work to foster a more engaging and supportive work environment.

3. Strengthening management practices: Insights from exit interviews can highlight major leadership challenges, whether that’s poor communication or a lack of career development opportunities.

4. Protecting the employer’s reputation: Employees who leave on a positive note are more likely to recommend the company to others.

Who should conduct an exit interview?

To ensure your exit interview questions yield honest responses, you’ll want to use a neutral and professional interviewer – usually an HR representative. Because employees might feel uncomfortable sharing negative feedback with their direct managers, having them interviewed by an HR professional gives them a safe space for open discussions.

Employees are also more likely to share constructive criticism if they know their responses will be kept confidential and used for company-wide improvements rather than individual reprimands. HR teams can also help with structured data collection – they can analyse exit interview feedback in a consistent, systematic way to spot trends and roll out actionable solutions.

Questions to ask during the exit interview

Asking the right exit interview questions is the only way to gain the most meaningful insights, but it might take a few interviews before you nail the perfect combination. Below are common exit interview questions that could help you out in the early stages:

General questions

• Q: What prompted your decision to leave the company?
• Q: Did anything specific contribute to your departure?
• Q: Could anything have been done to encourage you to stay?

Job satisfaction and work environment

• Q: What aspects of your job did you enjoy the most?
• Q: Were you satisfied with the resources and support provided to perform your role?
• Q: How would you describe the company culture here?

Management/leadership

• Q: How would you describe your manager’s leadership and communication style?
• Q: Did they give you clear goals and set reasonable expectations?
• Q: Were you provided with opportunities for professional growth?

Compensation/benefits

• Q: Do you feel your salary and benefits were competitive?
• Q: Were there any perks or benefits that could have improved your experience here?

The future

• What are you looking for in your next role?
• Would you consider returning to the company in the future?
• Do you have any suggestions for improving the organisation as a whole?

Turning exit interview data into actionable insights

Gathering up rafts of feedback is just the first step. The real value of exit interviews is in how businesses can interpret and act on these insights. HR teams should look for patterns across multiple exit interviews, including (but not limited to):

• Frequent mentions of workload concerns or issues with management.
• High turnover in specific departments or positions.
• Dissatisfaction with salaries or a dearth of career-growth opportunities.

Remember that it’s not uncommon for employees to return to their previous employers later in their careers, so always keep the relationship cordial and professional. It might just result in future rehires or valuable referrals.

Unsure how to conduct effective exit interviews?

Making the most of your exit interviews requires expert guidance from an HR team. At HumanX HR, we help businesses create their ideal exit interview process that matches their company goals. Our experts can analyse your exit interview data to improve employee retention and boost your workplace culture. Plus, you can trust that as an experienced HR partner, we will make sure your onboarding and offboarding processes comply with Australian HR laws and best practices.

Get expert support today by contacting the team at HumanX HR or explore our range of HR services. With our customisable exit interview template by your side, you can build a stronger, more employee-focused organisation – one that continues to attract and retain the best talent.

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