Exit interviews offer a fleeting opportunity to find out information that otherwise might be more difficult or impossible to obtain.
Interviews can be conducted orally or written.
Exit interview questions are essential to a successful separation and here are some tips on how to construct these questions.
- Save the hardest questions for the latter part of the interview. Work up to the tough stuff!
- A good question to break the ice is “Would you like for us to be a reference/recommendation for you?” Although, do not make this offer if you would not recommend the employee!
- Be prepared for some bombshells. Expect the unexpected – if there is ever a time to this to happen, it’s in an exit interview.
- Look for open-ended questions that allow for plenty of expression. An example of this might be “how did you feel you were managed during your employment with us?” or “how do you feel the company is run?”
- Other excellent questions are “under what conditions would you have stayed?” and “if you had had a magic wand, what would you have changed?”
- At some point in the interview ask “why are you leaving?” if you do not already know.
- Good general questions are “what did you like most (least) about your position?”
- Try to find out if there were things the departing employee would suggest to improve – conditions, production or morale.
- Try to get a good feel for how they viewed their compensation and benefits package.
- Leave room at the end of the interview for general comments. You could also ask them to describe one or two of their proudest professional accomplishments?
Here are some examples of Exit Interview Questions.
- Before deciding to leave, did you explore the possibility of a transfer?
- Is there something you didn’t like about your boss?
- How would you rate our work environment?
- Were you happy with your salary and benefits?
- What did you think about your performance and salary reviews?
- How should we change the way we do things to avoid losing other good employees?
