One of your employees has decided to leave and puts in his papers. Can you afford to let him walk out of the door without a single clue as to why he decided to leave?
Well, exiting employees are a source of valuable information and the importance of evaluating them cannot be overemphasised. This is where an exit interview comes in.
An exit interview or survey is a significant management tool that enables the company to meet with departing employees and siphon their knowledge even while gaining suggestions and feedback. Yet, most organisations either neglect to conduct a formal exit interview or carry it out rather haphazardly.
It’s a fact that by failing to ascertain the real reasons for departure, they are missing out on an invaluable chance to collect valuable data. Exploring employee opinions, attitudes, experiences, expectations and requirements when it comes to employment conditions and work environment will shed light on perceived deficiencies and other perceptions. As departing employees are more forthcoming, constructive and objective than staff still in their jobs, the organisation can actually use their issues, concerns and criticism to improve many of its HR policies. This also proves useful in recruitment strategies and retention actions.
Then again, there is also the opportunity to debrief the exiting employee and orchestrate a knowledge transfer. The company can tap into the employee’s personal connections and critical knowledge that he has gathered on the job and carries around in his head as well as reaffirm his responsibility towards confidentiality agreements. Even soliciting details on the job description, skill sets, training and experience needed to do the job will assist the organisation in recruiting a replacement.
As a career consultant sums up, “A successful exit interview will extract all the helpful messages that will ensure a culture of continuous improvement to achieve greater employee job satisfaction and to become an employer of choice.”
Its all in the details
Therefore, every company should make it a practice to invite departing employees (especially those who have resigned) for a ‘conversation’ with an organisational representative - functional head of his department or HR person. Participation should always be voluntary. Some organisations outsource the process to a third-party, while others opt for telephonic interviews or web-based surveys. While the latter have more scope for comfort and honesty, they can be quite impersonal and infuriating too.
For conducting face-to-face exit interviews, you should prepare relevant questions beforehand and choose a relaxed and comfortable place for the conversation. Maintain a respectful, balanced and dignified overtone to diffuse mistrust; be neither callous nor over-sympathetic.
Start with general queries on his roles and responsibilities before moving to questions about job satisfaction and real reasons for leaving. Ask open-ended questions that encourage honest and considered responses as well as elicit his views and feedback, while avoiding leading and limiting questions.
As LG Electronics’ HR head Y. Verma says, “Exit interviews are a tool of organisational diagnosis. The questions are laid in a manner to cover the strengths and weaknesses of the department in which the employee was working and also the company in general.”
Gently coax him (never pressurise) to highlight specific work situations so as to give the issues a proper context. Also, keenly observe his body language for telltale signs like hesitancy.
Let him gripe and let off steam for a while without defending, admonishing or arguing. This calls for maintaining self-control and composure, as you may not like what you hear.
If required, you can even try to make him change his mind with a counteroffer or highlighting current growth prospects.
Else, concentrate on understanding the important things he was working on and assessing the type of person that should replace him. Provide a proper closure to the association, appreciate his cooperation and leave the door open for him to return.
Some key questions can include:
• Why did you join this organisation?
• What did you like and dislike most about this company?
• How would you rate your supervisors and peers?
• What are the factors you think where the organisation is lacking?
• What are your suggestions for improving the organisation?
• What kind of changes would you have liked to make in your job?
• What did you learn here which you think will help you in the future?
• What is the main reason for your leaving?
• What prompted you to look for a new job?
• What is most appealing about the new position?
• Would you like to suggest a replacement for your position?
Once the interview is done, do not leave it at that. Collate the survey findings and comprehensively analyse them to identify consistent trends, patterns and themes. Use the aggregate results to redefine internal strategies and practices for recruitment, compensation, appraisal, motivation and retention so that more employees don’t quit!
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