Many employers consider an exit interview a mandatory component of a staff member’s departure. Indeed, exit interviews can provide valuable data, unique insights, and honest feedback — all of which can be used to improve the work environment and minimize avoidable instances of turnover. It’s clear why you should hold exit interviews, but it’s less clear how you should conduct these meetings. How do you request a meeting with a departing employee? What questions do you ask? How do you solicit high-quality feedback? Consider these exit interview tips to help guide your efforts.
Prepare for the Meeting
As is the case with any meeting, unpreparedness is one of the worst mistakes you can make. You need to enter an exit interview meeting with confidence and have a list of questions ready to ask. Anything less will be a waste of both you and your departing employee’s time. In order to prepare, you should carefully review the notice given by the employee and identify any details that may merit clarification. Similarly, you should reference past performance reviews to gain a big picture view of the employee’s time at the company. This context is helpful to understand the circumstances surrounding their departure.
Ask for Written Feedback
Prior to requesting a formal exit interview with an employee, you should ask them for written feedback regarding their departure. People often have the opportunity to put more thought and intention into written words, so it’s valuable to seek out written feedback in addition to a verbal interview. This feedback may be solicited in the form of a survey, too, with easy to answer yes or no questions and additional space afforded for more in-depth comments. People often feel the most comfortable answering objective, close-ended questions.
Seek Insight into the Environment
If you are able to schedule a face-to-face interview, you should do so in order to get additional insight into the reasons for their resignation. During the interview, you should be careful to maintain strict adherence to all standards of fair employment practices — even though the staff member in question is quitting. An exit interview that violates these principles can result in a costly EPLI claim. You can avoid EPLI claims by being mindful of sensitive topics and avoiding potentially inflammatory inquiries.
Use Data Productively
Are exit interviews beneficial? The answer depends on how you use the information you gain. Once you’ve gathered data from a written survey, and if possible, a face-to-face interview, you should carefully consider how you will use it. If you’re interviewing people simply for the sake of interviewing them, you’re not using your time or data effectively. It’s essential that you leverage your information to improve work conditions, prevent turnover, and ensure that your existing staff members have the tools they need to succeed.
About Haughn & Associates
Founded by Michael Haughn in 1986, Haughn & Associates is a full-service, family-owned, independent insurance agency based out of Dublin, Ohio. H&A strives to provide the best possible price and unique insurance solutions across a myriad of industries, including construction, IT, Habitation & Commercial Property, Agriculture, and Engineering. Devoted to providing the best of business insurance, life and disability insurance, personal insurance, employee benefits, and bonds, H&A is proof that success lies in long-standing client relations and satisfaction. To learn more about how H&A can be of service to you, contact us at (877) 802-2278.
