Tips for conducting an exit interview

An exit interview is a useful tool for employers when employees are leaving the organization. This get-together is a final meeting to finalize details and obtain feedback from employees who are leaving their job. Generally, exit interviews are scheduled on the employee's last day or two of work.

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This meeting gives both the employer and the employee to tie up any loose ends such as returning IDs, badges, keys, or any other company property. Also the employer has the opportunity to ask their soon-to-be former employee some questions, and the exiting employee can review his or her file to ensure things are in order. Additionally, both parties can finish filling out any paperwork that needs additional information or signatures.

The information provided by employees who are leaving can be invaluable information that can help shape the future of the company or agency. The meeting is a good opportunity for the employer to learn since current employees are less likely to be open and frank than a person leaving the organization. 

Hold the meeting in person

In today's technology-centric era it might be tempting to conduct an exit interview by email or telephone, however, it's best to hold this meeting in person for many reasons. It is more personable and more benefits are likely to come from a face-to-face meeting. A manager can conduct the exit interview, but generally this is best done by a representative from the human resources department. In this respect, there is less pressure and, by the interview being conducted by someone the employee hasn't directly worked with, better information may be gleaned. However, if there is no HR representative, then management should do the interview.

Ask targeted questions

Asking the exiting employee targeted questions can result in good information that can be used to identify strengths and weaknesses in the organization. For instance, the company may be having an excessive level of turnover. If the leaving employee is honest in responses to questions this may assist in better identifying the problematic areas and then efforts can be invested into ways to increase staff retention and reduce employee turnover.

Assure the employee that no negative consequences will result from honest discussion during the exit interview,” writes Susan M.Heathfield, Human Resources expert. She recommends this assurance be given before starting the exit interview questions.

If departing employees feel uncomfortable or fear a bad reference may result from frank discussion, they'll be likely less willing to be forthright and, as a result, you won't get the valuable answers you could otherwise receive. When assuring no negative consequences will result, be sure to note any answers are strictly confidential and will be used to help improve the organization.

Examples of questions 

You can ask the exiting employee several different types of questions. One approach is to start with personal reasons and then lead into more targeted questions about the organization itself, this can shed light on potential organizational culture problems that may exist but have yet to be identified (or confirmed).

A few examples of questions you can ask include:

• Why have you decided to leave the organization?
• Did you talk to management before making your decision?
• Is there anything specific you were not offered by this organization that another one did offer?
• Did you have any negative experiences while working for us?
• What did you value when working for us?
• Ask about relationships with managers and colleagues
• What did you like and dislike about your job? (Ask for specifics)
• Were there support mechanisms you felt you should have gotten but didn't?
• How do you feel about overall organizational morale?

An exit interview should not be viewed as a negative, but rather as a learning experience. Regardless of how the employee answers, it is important to thank the employee for their frankness (if they were candid in response) even if the answers were not ideally what you wanted to hear. Be sure to end the appointment on a positive note and wish the exiting employee best wishes in the next step of their professional journey.