How should I perform an exit interview?

An exit interview can be a useful tool for a company seeking to better itself, supervisors looking for ways to retain employees and for managers looking to create better work environments for employees.

Tutorial

There are several reasons to perform exit interviews of all employees leaving a company. If you are in management, you can expect to find out the problems employees had during their tenure with the company and suggestions for improvements.

The exit interview puts both employer and employee into different roles than they’ve traditionally filled during the time they worked together. Suddenly, the boundaries are at least somewhat less clear and the two are on a slightly more level playing field. Depending on the reason for the employee’s departure, you may or may not get honest answers. If the employee is leaving willingly and there are no hard feelings for the separation (on either side), the employee is more likely to be perfectly candid in their assessment of the company, working conditions and how employees are treated.

Ask about working conditions, about suggestions for change, about problems. You may get insight even if your questions are very vague, such as “What was the best/worst thing about working here.”

Remember to evaluate the answers. If the employee complains that a specific person was always rude or took liberties, consider the possible reasons for the allegations before confronting the other person. If there’s been a rivalry between the two, it could be that the departing employee sees a chance to get even. Likewise, you may find nothing but glowing reports if the employee is depending on you for references in future employment.