Why You Should Conduct Exit Interviews

Most employers (at least, the smart ones) interview potential employees before drawing up the hiring papers. But what about when your employees decide to quit? More and more business owners are wising up to the fact that quite a bit can be learned from employees who are ready to quit their jobs, and thus the exit interview was born. If you are experiencing a ridiculously high turn-over or if you are concerned about the motivations behind employees who quit their jobs, you might want to start conducting exit interviews.

What is an exit interview?
An exit interview is an entirely voluntary conversation held with an employee who has given notice to quit their job. Some exit interviews are held by human resources managers, while they can also be held with the owner of the business. Exit interviews can also be held with employees who have been fired or who are being laid off - the purpose is almost the same. Just remember that you can't force an employee to have one of these interviews; you can simply request it and hope that they comply.

What can you learn from an exit interview?
In order for an exit interview to be successful, you must approach it from the proper direction. It isn't an attempt to get the employee to stay, nor is it a method with which to have the last word. Your sole objective in an exit interview should be to gather information about the employee's experience at your company and to apply that information in any way that you see fit. Although it might be difficult to hear negative comments about the way you handle employees, the information can be invaluable as long as it is truthful.

What kinds of questions should be asked during an exit interview?
This all depends on what you are hoping to learn. For example, if you think that the employee is quitting due to a negative relationship with his or her supervisor, ask questions related to that problem. You can ask the employee to rate his or her experience, you can inquire about his or her relationship with coworkers, and you can request information about his or her department that you might not otherwise have known. While you shouldn't turn it into a fishing expedition or a manhunt for negative information, you should facilitate honest and open communication. Have a list of questions that you want to ask ready before the interview.

Are employees always truthful during an exit interview?
Of course not. There are several reasons why an employee might fail to tell the truth during an exit interview, not the least of which being fear of a negative reference when he or she applies for other jobs. The best way to encourage honesty is to assure him or her that you don't have an ulterior motive. Explain that anything he or she divulges will be kept confidential and that whatever he or she says will not reflect on future decisions you make about employment or references. You should also advise the employee that to do so would be considered illegal discrimination.

What should you do with information collected during an exit interview?
If you don't take measures to correct problems you are made aware of during exit interviews, you might as well stop. The purpose is not only to gather information, but also to use it in the future. For example, if two employees have complained about one particular supervisor during an exit interview, you should investigate the situation and have a talk with that supervisor. Further, you should be able to show positive changes as a result of exit interviews or other employees will be reluctant or non-commital during their own.