Yes, it stings. No matter how great your work relationship was, sometimes you have to set your top performers free and set your ego aside when they hand in that resignation letter. Every setback is an opportunity to learn, so instead of getting overwhelmed with the losses and rushing to figure out how to replace them, use their exit to your advantage. There’s no better forefront to doing this, other than the infamous exit interview.
It doesn’t need to be passive-aggressive smiles and hurrying through the questions. The exit interview is every brilliant manager’s gold mine to finding out how the competition is doing and what the general employee mood is at their own company.
The Real Value of an Excellent Exit Interview
A study by the Work Institute found that replacing an employee costs about 33% of their annual salary and that about 75% of the reasons employees leave could have been prevented! The right exit meeting questions make all the difference to stop that from happening to the rest of your star players!
Ask the Right Questions
We’ve all been in that position at one point or another. Standard exit interviews sometimes feel about as empty as airport security screenings. “Why are you leaving?” ranks right up there with “Are you a terrorist?” in terms of getting meaningful answers. You have to get right up in the details to understand where your company dropped the ball because you’d be surprised that, a lot of times, it is about more than just the money.
Let’s rephrase that generic question to: “What opportunities for growth did you see when you started, and how did those pan out?”
This question reveals the gaps between the employee’s expectations and dreams vs. the actual reality provided to them at your company. Was it meetings where their opinion seemed undervalued? Was it a demotivating, overly harsh feedback loop? Let’s get down to business.
The Roast of the Manager
Instead of just hitting them with, “What about us would you have changed?” try a more subtle way of asking that question. Most employees want to keep a good rep within that industry and not burn any bridges with their ex-managers, even if they absolutely cannot stand them.
Instead, ask them something like: “If you were a manager here, how would you have managed yourself?” That way, you make it about their future dreams of leadership rather than have them dance around commenting directly on your company’s managerial practices. Listen to those comments very thoroughly – no one knows your pitfalls as a leader more than those who work under you.
The Workplace Reality Check
Avoid another direct question about the workplace, such as ‘What didn’t you enjoy about the workplace?’ – it makes you sound like a salty ex being broken up with. Instead, ask, ‘What sort of workplace would you describe as the ideal environment for you to flourish?’
You have to face the reality- your ‘work hard, play hard’ workplace that you sold your new hire on might not be what it is. An annual Christmas party doesn’t cut it – making your workplace a more playful area that allows for creative ideas to flow involves company retreats, work time-out areas, and a generally less-stressed environment when it comes to deadlines. Listen in!
Get the Real Tea Behind Work Relationships
“How did collaboration really work in your department?” – skip that one. Here’s a more sneaky way around it: ‘Why do you think collaboration efforts in some areas were difficult?’ This way, you take the pressure off by acknowledging that there may have been some tension (which is the case in pretty much every work environment). Most departments operate like separate countries – complete with border disputes and communication barriers.
Once it’s Over: Use, Implement, Repeat.
Most companies collect exit data like squirrels that gather nuts for the winter times – lots of hoarding, not much using. The better way to go about it is to organize those notes, even if they open old wounds, and use them to:
- Create constructive feedback loops
- Track general patterns, not just individual responses
- Set deadlines for addressing the most pressing issues
- Follow up with current employees after changes are implemented
The Money Question (It’s Not Always About the Money!)
“Would a pay raise have changed your decision to leave?”
Yeah, it’s a shocker, but you would be surprised that most of the time, employees cite non-monetary reasons for leaving. Also, they all have another opportunity waiting for them once they go- a safety plan they’ve been working on months ahead that already offered more, even if it’s by a little.
Common Exit Interview Mistakes
Here are a few mistakes we have become all too familiar with when it comes to that final conversation that you should avoid.
Don’t Rush It
Scheduling the exit interview on the last day is like asking for a restaurant review while simultaneously rushing someone out the door. Smart companies conduct them 3-5 days before departure so that your employees can be more open and honest when they’re facing you.
Get Off the Defense
Nothing shuts down honest feedback faster than defensiveness. How often have we heard the passive-aggressive ‘But we were in the middle of fixing that’ response when we offer honest criticism? Be understanding, take notes, and don’t take it personally.
The Documentation Deficit
Valuable insights go flying out the door if you don’t properly document your exit interview responses. Create clear systems for recording and sharing that feedback!
To a Non-Quitting Workplace and Beyond!
Remember: good exit interviews should feel less like interrogations and more like valuable conversations where you, too, can keep these performers as potential contacts for future collaborations. They provide clarity for both sides and, most importantly, create actionable insights that improve conditions for those who stay.
The Bottom Line
The best companies don’t just conduct exit interviews – they learn from them, adapt because of them, and build stronger cultures through them. Your departing employees have a final gift to offer: honest feedback that could transform your workplace.
This isn’t just about checking boxes or filling out forms. It’s about building a better workplace, one honest conversation at a time!
