An exit interview is not the most pleasant experience for both HR and an exiting employee. However, the unpleasantness of the situation cannot undermine how important it is to conduct exit surveys for the departing member, given how insightful the feedback can be.
But how do you make the most of these exit surveys to receive such information? By ensuring the exit interview questions are specific, non-confrontational, future-oriented, and non-leading.
So, what are the best exit interview questions to ask? Learn more from the list below.
Voluntary exit is the most common form of employee exit. There can be reasons like insufficient compensation, unfavorable working conditions, or simply having reached the retirement age. Whatever the reason, it is important to dig deep into the concerns and avenues for improvement. Do so with these exit interview questions to ask employees who leave your company voluntarily.
Instances where employees leave the organization willingly before their retirement for reasons such as better opportunities or career breaks are not new in the corporate world. However, instead of being concerned, this must be taken as an opportunity to offer better to existing and new employees to improve retention. Check out the exit interview questions below.
If your company works with contractual employees, you must understand that each of them may have different experiences according to the department they are working in. Insights from their responses to exit interview questions could be a great source of information to understand how well-equipped the organization is at the unit level to retain contractual employees. Find some examples below.
Employees who retire have usually spent a significant amount of time in your company, and even if they haven’t, they will still have words of wisdom to share about your company. So, you must tap into their thoughts to understand work processes and organizational areas that need improvement. Here are some exit interview questions that you can ask retirees.
There are times when the company terminates the employment of certain employees because either their performance was unsatisfactory or because the company decided to reduce the workforce. Such situations call for a more sensitive handling of exit surveys since it may not exactly be a pleasant experience for the departing employee. Find out what exit interview questions you can ask them below.
Even when employees need to be removed from their positions, the fact that they have been employees in your organization for some time remains. Conducting exit interviews with them is important because this ensures that the exiting employee is heard and you can identify anything that needs to be fixed in the future. Find relevant exit interview questions for dismissed employees below.
Layoffs are a difficult period for employees who have been sacked for no fault of their own. Many times, such employees could even refuse to attend a face-to-face exit interview. For such employees, sending an exit interview form or an exit interview template would be the right thing to do. Given that it is a difficult time for them, the exit interview questions we ask laid-off employees must be thoughtfully and sensitively framed. Find some examples below.
You've conducted an exit survey with the departing employee. How do you store the information for future reference or share the response with other team members? Do you write them on paper and share them with higher-ups, or use Docs, and Excel sheets, or do you share the interview recording and make them play the entire video?
One better option is to use specialized survey management tools, such as Sup Bot. Create a form in Sup Bot with the questions you want to ask the leaving employee and send them the form link. The employee will now have to open the link and share the feedback.
In many ways, this is advantageous to both the leaving employee and the one taking the interview. I've listed a few below:
You can carry on with virtual or in-person exit interviews if you so choose, but I advise using Sup Bot to record, save, and share the responses with the team instead of sheets or manual papers or video links. You can choose to note them down on Sup Bot form during the interview as and when the question is answered, or you can choose to note all of them down after the exit survey is done, depending on what you find appropriate. And the rest remains the same with respect to sharing, and insights.
Contrastingly, relying on written notes on paper, it might be difficult to organize and locate when needed, particularly if multiple surveys have been conducted over time.
It would be time-consuming and inefficient if you would repeatedly watch interview recordings to find an answer to a specific question.
Excel or Docs may become less scalable if the volume of exit interview data increases.
Ultimately, what we hope for you is to ensure an amazing workplace for your employees, even for those who are transitioning out of the organization.
1. What is exit interview in brief?
An exit interview is conducted by the company HR with an employee who is leaving the company, to know about their experience in the company.
2. What to not say in an exit interview?
If you wish to mention about anything, do it professionally. Avoid blaming or talking negatively about your colleagues. Don’t speak anything on behalf of anyone.
3. Can I skip exit interview?
Yes. The exit interview may be a formal part of the employee exit process at your company. However, you can always decline the interview invitation.
4. How to answer an exit interview?
Answer the exit interview questions professionally. Ensure a positive tone in your answers. Share points of improvement and helpful feedback.
5. Can I be honest in my exit interview?
Yes, you can be honest in your exit interview. However, refrain from phrasing your answers in a negative tone. Share your thoughts honestly and professionally.
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