4 Key Strategies for Successful Exit Interviews

Exit interviews are so crucial, especially for your company’s development. If you don’t know why employees are leaving, you can’t improve.

Here are 4 tips for successful exit interviews:

The Right Interviewer

Choosing the right interviewer is crucial. You want the departing employee to reveal the real reasons for their departure. So, ensure there’s no bad blood between the interview partners from the past.

Insider Tip: There are external companies that can conduct these interviews for you.

Prepare, Prepare & Prepare

Each employee is unique, and you should prepare individually for each interview. What was their role in the company? What were their responsibilities? Maybe find a personal story from their career to break the ice?

Insider Tip: The exit interview should take place in a relaxed atmosphere. Block enough time in your calendar! The last thing a departing employee wants to hear is: “Okay, I have to move on to the next exit interview now.”

Listen Carefully

Firstly, you’ll catch all the details about why the employee wants to leave and can pick up on critical subtleties. Side effect: They feel comfortable and get the sense that what they say is being heard and is important for the company.

Ask the Right Questions

Do not assume! Recruiting 101 No. 6. Therefore, it’s important to ask the right questions and not make assumptions. What are good questions for an exit interview?

13 Questions for a Successful Exit Interview

• Why have you decided to leave our company?
• What are your thoughts about working here?
• What does the company do right?
• In your opinion, what does the company do poorly?
• How can we as a company improve?
• What are your thoughts about your supervisor or the team you worked in?
• Are there other employees who feel the same as you?
• What do other employees think about their work and the company in general?
• What did you like best about working here?
• Are there any ideas you would have liked to implement during your time here?
• What do you like best about your direct supervisor?
• Do you have any advice for the person we hire for your position?
• Who are the employees, managers, or leaders who have positively influenced your time here, and why?

Here’s to a good exit interview! (Sounds kind of odd, doesn’t it? :))