Exit Interviews - An Amicable Good-bye
An Article by, Claire Pressman -B.A. - CHRP
When an employee leaves an organization voluntarily, they are typically
given an exit interview. It is usually a series of questions that
asks the employee how their jobs could have been better and what
could have been done to make them stay. These questions are either
given in a survey form, asked in an interview by either a Human
Resources representative or an outside consultant. The information
is taken back and analyzed.
Exit interviews should be taken seriously. It is a prime way to
gather valuable information. We can find out if there is a disproportionate
amount of people leaving from one particular department. Is there
something the organization can do to minimize turnover? Is the employee
leaving with valuable information? If so, it enables an avenue to
transfer the knowledge to another employee.
Exit interviews not only gather information but serves as a goodwill
gesture. From the departing employees’ perspective, an exit
interview is a chance to clear the air, get whatever they want off
of their chests and leave on a positive note. The exit interview
demonstrates that they were valued as employees.
From the Corporations’ standpoint, the exit interview provides
an opportunity to make peace with a possibly disgruntled employee.
It is an opportunity to validate the employee’s hard feelings
and thwart any potential legal action. The corporation and management
will be appraised by the departing employee and there is potential
for making some positive changes that may discourage others from
leaving. If management desires to retain the employee the information
may help give him or her what she needs to stay or perhaps be enticed
to come back in the future.
If the departing employee has specific intellectual capital, exit
interviews allows management to ascertain the best way to transfer
the knowledge. The exit interview should be done at least a week
before the employee departs so he or she can help train either their
replacement.
Before conducting the interview have clear goals. Make an appointment
with the departing employee. Have the questions ready. Prepare a
checklist, including a list of any property that the employee must
return to the organization. Ensure that the interview is given in
a comfortable and non-threatening environment. Remember to make
the appointment far enough in advance to schedule time for transfer
of learning. Keep the questions non-adversarial. Keep the mood calm.
The questions should be open ended and allow the interviewee to
speak freely. Ask about the new job to get a better idea of why
the employee is leaving and how different an environment has been
chosen. If any confidentiality agreements were signed at the time
of on boarding, now is the time of reminding the employee of the
signed agreements.
The information that is obtained during an exit interview can help
with employee retention and the ability to trouble-shoot in the
working environment. The interviewer should be sympathetic and have
the ability to probe and ask questions around any concerns.
Exit interviews can be done by a Human Representative in your company
or an outside consultant. The benefits of hiring a consultant for
Exit Interviews are that there is more chance that the exiting employee
would speak freely and less chance of any confrontation.
Claire Pressman – CHRP is the principal is References
& More Services, a Human Resources Consulting Company whose
main focus is Reference Verification and Exit Interviews. For more
information please see www.referencesandmoreservices.com
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