Exit interviews can provide valuable feedback about reasons for employee turnover. They can also offer a more honest insight into how your employees feel in their positions and both the positive and negative experiences they have had at their place of work. Ask these questions for a powerful look behind the curtain.
How Would You Describe Your Interactions With Other Employees?
A successful business requires all staff members to work together well as a team. Employees who feel welcome, respected, and supported are much more likely to produce better quality work and seek employment elsewhere less often. Likewise, the inverse is true for employees who feel unwelcome, unsupported and disrespected. By asking this question, you can find out which team members work well with others and which don’t, driving their coworkers away. This also gives you a deeper look at company culture and areas where better team building could use work.
What Would You Say Are the Best and Worst Aspects of Your Position?
Certain aspects of a job could motivate employees to go the extra mile and excite them to work to further their careers and company goals. Other parts of an employee’s job may drive them to seek employment elsewhere. See if parts of their position can be addressed if your employee describes them as being, as being a key reason for their departure in the future.
What Changes Could Have Been Made to Motivate You to Keep Your Position?
This is a tricky question to ask as it can lead to employers trying to bargain with a former employee who has decided to leave already and likely has another job lined up. Some aspects of your business also have little room for change, but if your employee addresses a possible change that you feel would work well, it’s worth looking into for future employee retention.
Where Are You Going to Be Working Next?
Another tricky but powerful question is to try and see where your former employee will be taking their talents. Some employees may want to avoid answering this question, but if they are willing to discuss their future job, it can give you an inside look at your industry. You can determine if they are simply changing fields entirely or if your competitors are motivating employee turnover rates and acquiring former staff members. If they are leaving for a job with a competitor, see if you can gain some insight into what is making them work for a competitor.
Do You Have Any Final Thoughts or Issues You Would Like to Address?
Giving the floor to an employee during an exit interview can provide valuable insight into factors for seeking other employment. The best questions to ask during an exit interview are those your employee wants you to ask. You are more likely to get honest responses to questions if your employee feels passionate about them. See what they say and if there are areas that need to change and others that don’t.
After the Exit Interview: Steps to Take With ModernHR
While it can be challenging to part ways with a valued employee, exit interviews provide important information about the inner workings of your team. It is essential that all workplaces have teams that work well with each other, support each other, and treat others with respect. If these areas are driving employee turnover rates, they need to be addressed to ensure smooth operations going forward. Modern HR offers a variety of services to employers, including:
- Recruiting
- Human Resources
- Risk Management Consulting
- Tax and Payroll Administration
- Employee Benefits/ACA
ModernHR believes in a custom, tailor-made approach to HR that works best for your situation. Our dedicated team of industry professionals will work with you to implement proven solutions. Contact us today to learn more.
