Exit interview 101: Learn how to conduct an exit interview that leads to actionable results! We've also included 50 sample exit interview questions to help you figure out what to ask employees leaving the company for various reasons like retirement, termination, voluntary resignation, management exit, and interns.
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When an employee leaves your company, the first question HR should be asking is why. Regardless if they're retiring, being terminated, quitting voluntarily, or moving on to a new opportunity within the organization - it's important to conduct an exit interview composed of questions that yield valuable insights and answer that all-important question: Why are they leaving? Or, in the case of termination or management exit, how can we prevent this from happening again in the future?
It’s no secret that rattling off question after question at an employee exit interview can be awkward—both for the HR manager and for the employee leaving the company. But with such a key opportunity to learn, it’s important that HR managers don’t let the moment pass them by or shove the responsibility onto someone else. Exit interviews are a “once an employee” type of moment that shouldn’t be thrown away.
They offer the opportunity for both parties to reflect on that specific employee's time at the company and gather crucial information that can be used for improvement in the future. When a thoughtful, well-planned out set of exit interview questions are presented to the exiting employee, it impacts the existing employee experience and boosts employee retention with learnings that can and do impact company policies, benefits, and management.
It's not always easy picking out the right questions, and it's definitely not a one-exit-interview-questionnaire fits-all situation either. Questions should be swapped in and out depending on the reason for the employee's departure as well as the employee's position within the company. That being said, we know how bogged down HR professionals are, so we've compiled a list of sample exit interview questions to help get you started on creating your own exit interview questionnaire.
Below you will find a breakdown of common exit situations, such as an intern deciding to take a position with another company, questions for a retiree on their tenor, for employees that voluntarily quit, and for management or leadership that's moving on. Before we get to the sample exit interview questions, we take a deep dive into why exit interviews are important, their impact, and what to take into consideration, as well as tips for conducting a successful exit interview.
The classic exit interview happens when an employee has decided to quit and has given notice. It's a one-on-one meeting between the exiting employee and an HR manager, or leader. It’s a chance for HR to explain the separation agreement, go over any severance pay and unused sick time, and a time to ask questions about why they are leaving.
Exit interviews are famous for being awkward, impersonal, and a time for disgruntled employees to vent. But when done the right way, and by asking the right questions, exit interviews can be incredibly insightful in understanding what needs to change in your organization.
The exit interview is a goldmine of information that can unveil what your company culture is really like from your employee’s perspective. They can provide insight like where your company is missing the bar with employees or shed light on any managerial or team personnel issues that influence the employee experience.
When there is a problem between an employee and a manager that stems from the manager’s poor leadership or lack of empathy, upper management may never know until they ask the question during the offboarding process. Or, let's say the competitor down the street is offering better childcare benefits—your company might never know if it weren’t for the questions asked in employee exit interviews. To sum it up - an exit interview is a time to find out how big the gap is between what employees want and how things are running and what you are offering, and how management is conducting themselves.
An exit interview should happen every time there is a separation between an employee and an employer. The trick is to have the discussion after the heat of emotions leave and before the employee becomes disengaged. As the HR manager, you want the employee to answer the questions honestly and openly, so timing is key.
Depending on the exit, it may be best to wait a few weeks before scheduling an exit interview. In the case of termination or management exit, it’s important to have a neutral third party conduct the exit interview in order to maintain legal compliance and objectivity.
That said, you don’t have to have an employee exit interview before a team member heads out the door for good. Some companies even wait a few months post-employment to have the exit interview in a much more relaxed atmosphere. By this time, the employee has moved on and can answer the questions a little more objectively (and honestly). If you're confident the employee will remain receptive and willing to engage, then, a couple of weeks or months is fine.
If you feel like a particular employee exit interview is necessary, and the employee refuses to participate, document their refusal in writing.
How to conduct the exit interview is up to you and your company's protocol. You might want to have every employee's exit interview face-to-face to make it more personal. Or you might want to send a survey to the former team member once all the dust of their departure has settled. The choice is yours.
Exit interviews should be kept confidential, but sharing high-level learnings with your leadership team is important. During the interview, let the employee know how you will share the exit interview results with the leadership.
While HR is typically responsible for conducting exit interviews, sometimes it may be someone else in a leadership role or management position. But, no matter who it is, the information still needs to be relayed to company leadership. This is essential so that they are clued in on the main causes of employee retention and turnover in their organization.