Should you conduct an exit interview?
Conducting an exit interview is usually a smart move. It gives you insights into why an employee is leaving, helps identify patterns in turnover, and can provide valuable feedback to improve the workplace.
Here are a few key reasons to conduct one:
- Identify Workplace Issues – Departing employees may feel more comfortable sharing honest feedback about management, culture, or workload.
- Reduce Future Turnover – If multiple employees leave for the same reason, you can address the root cause.
- Improve Employee Experience – Feedback from exit interviews can guide improvements in policies, leadership, and work environment.
- Maintain Goodwill – A respectful exit interview can leave the employee with a positive final impression of the company.
- Gain Competitive Insights – Employees leaving for competitors might share useful info about industry trends or what attracts talent elsewhere.
When You Might Skip It
- If the employee was only there for a short time and has limited insight.
- If the departure was due to a sensitive or contentious situation, and a discussion might do more harm than good.
Pros
- Unfiltered feedback
- Identify trends
- Improve retention
- Enhance company culture
- Maintain good relations
- Competitive insights
Cons
- Employees may be overly negative (or overly polite) based on emotions.
- If feedback isn’t used to make changes, the process is pointless.
- Employees might withhold criticism to avoid burning bridges.
- Time consuming
