Exit Interview
Failure to retain your experienced staff can cost your
firm thousands of dollars as well as loss of knowledge management. It is
therefore vital to recognize this and take proactive steps to reduce staff
turnover, and determine ways to retain your employees. Exit interviews are a
start in the right direction to work towards achieving this.
An exit interview is
a survey conducted with an individual who is separating from an organization or
relationship. An exit interview is typically a meeting between at least one
representative from a company's human resources (HR) department and a departing
employee. (The departing employee usually has voluntarily resigned vs. getting
laid off or fired.)
Purpose of an Exit
Interview
Conducting exit interviews can be a valuable experience
for any organization. Human resources departments conduct exit interviews (also
called exit surveys) to gather data for improving working conditions and
retaining employees.
·
One
of purposes of the exit interview is to obtain feedback on why your employee is
leaving.
·
Another
purpose is to find out what the employee likes or dislikes about their employment,
what areas of the firm that they feel needs improvement and often even though
it may be too late for the exiting employee- they may leave with a more
positive view of the firm, and you get to retain some of the employee's
knowledge.
·
Exit
interviews are one of the most widely used methods of gathering employee
feedback, along with employee satisfaction surveys. Sometimes exit interviews
help retain the leaving employee.
·
Guarding against potential lawsuits,
·
Smoothing over any conflicts with co-workers or managers,
·
Learning about problems with other employees,
·
Helping to discern whether the employer's pay is competitive,
·
Learning how to retain their best people,
·
Reducing problems in the workplace.
·
Exit interviews also provide employers an opportunity to control
any negative publicity that might come from a discontented employee, pinpoint
specific areas causing employee dissatisfaction and turnover, and to openly
share information that will bring the employment relationship to a positive
close.
·
The information obtained during an Exit Interview is often the
most candid and valuable information an employer can hope to receive from an
employee, since there is no longer the pressure for the employee to guard one's
responses in an effort to improve their individual status within the firm.
Points
to be Kept in Mind While conducting an Exit Interview
· Exit
interviews should be conducted for every exiting employee, regardless of their
level in the organization.
· Interviews
(questions and procedures) should be executed with a standardized methodology
in order to make the interpretation of results useful.
· Interviews
should be prepared for in advance with a clear determination of the goals for
the interview and any specific items that should be covered.
· The
information received from the Exit Interview should be utilized to implement
real change in the workplace, and not just to store as employee documentation.
· In
addition to the HR Director, senior management should be copied on the reports
generated from the Exit Interview, and required to provide feedback.
· Interview
questions and answers should be well-documented by the employer in order to
assist with any future legal case brought about by the employee.
· Employers
should ask open-ended questions and probe for opinions about the employee's
job, supervisor, and general management, subordinates, working conditions,
opportunities for advancement, firm policies, training programs (or lack of),
reasons for leaving and any potential legal issues.
· Record
the reasons in writing why the employee is leaving to avoid employee claims
such as wrongful termination. The information you receive can be used to offset
any claims that are not addressed in the Exit Interview.
· Try
to obtain recommendations on continuing health benefits and the discontinuation
of other benefits.
· Settle
up on any payments for accrued vacation or wages due.
· Obtain
the transfer of all company property such as keys, credit cards, books, or
other materials.
· Readdress
any non-compete or confidentiality agreements, should they apply.
An exit interview can be a valuable tool for both the employer
and departing employee, minimizing the likelihood of future legal problems
resulting from the employment relationship.