Exit Interviews: Uncovering the Truth Behind Employee Departures
The problem of staff turnover
Some years ago, when I first stepped into a new leadership role, I was greeted by a frustrated boss who was fed up with the constant need to train new employees. He was tired of spending valuable time showing them the ropes, only to see many leave shortly after. He noted that this impacted his billable hours and that training new staff, who generated less valuable work, was costly. There was more work, less output, less income and increasing levels of irritation – a problem creating multiple costs and certainly not ideal for supporting an inclusive and positive culture.
So, what to do? I quickly realised that to address the issue, I needed to understand the root cause and determine just how significant the problem of turnover was. After some observations, conversations and analysis, I found the answer was “quite significant.” Turnover levels had been incrementally increasing over time, staff newer to the organisation were more highly represented in the stats, team leaders were frustrated at having to manage the demands of new recruits, supporting existing people and delivering results to managers. Employees were hesitant to ask for help, as they could see leaders were stretched. The atmosphere was tense and no one was dealing with the issue.
The introduction of exit interviews
To help tackle these challenges, I decided to implement exit interviews. This was alongside other strategic tools (such as initiatives to improve training, communication, coaching and staff development, and regular feedback systems – all worthwhile topics for future articles) so we could understand what was driving staff turnover and find solutions to retain and engage staff.
All departing staff were invited to participate in an exit interview, with the aim to gather valuable insights into the reasons behind their decisions to leave. This process required a dedicated and empathetic interviewer - someone who could handle sensitive conversations and was not the direct manager of the exiting employee. Yes, that person was me.
It took time to gather useful information from exit interviews, and initially, we had to use our best endeavours to assess why staff had left in the preceding 12 months. In hindsight, we could have contacted the ex-staff directly to ask if they would engage in a belated interview, which would have provided better and faster information.
Why exit interviews aren’t always prioritised
Despite the strategic value of exit interviews, many organisations hesitate to implement them. Here are some common reasons why -
Time. There’s just too much to do and no one has the time for them.
Other priorities. They’re not seen as important, as day-to-day operations and more urgent issues take precedence.
Lack of confidence. Exit interviews haven’t been practised, so there is reluctance and an aversion towards them. There could be a responsibility gap, in that no one has been assigned the task.
Assumptions about why the person is leaving. You believe you know the reason the person is leaving.
Relief at the person’s departure. They were seen as a “problem employee,” so there’s a sense of relief that the person is leaving and that the problems associated with them will soon be gone.
Fear. Fear of revealing the real reason behind the team member's decision to leave. Fear that someone will have to deal with it, deal with the issues, manage the problem, tell the CE or the Board, or be found out. Because maybe that ‘someone’ is part of the problem.
Ah, but what if you later realised you should have made the time? There was something really big and important you could have learnt. You made an assumption, and it was wrong. That problem employee wasn’t actually the problem; it was, in fact, something else. Or perhaps issues have been hidden from those who should have known.
Wouldn’t you want to know so you and your organisation could do something about it, rather than having problems continue or escalate, costing more in the long run?
Benefits of exit interviews
Exit interview insights can be used to minimise the financial and non-financial costs of staff turnover. These costs include the loss of institutional knowledge, time and money needed to recruit, onboard, re-train, and if the fit isn’t right, sometimes this has to start all over again! Staff turnover is a cost no one wants to unnecessarily pay.
Experienced employees are assets; they strengthen organisational success. Conversely, the cost of seeing that experience turnover is a liability. Use the insights gained from exit interviews to reduce the loss of productivity and impacts on workplace culture and trust.
Learn. Find out why they’re leaving, why they stayed as long as they did, where the organisation needs to change. Perhaps some of your policies don’t line up with this employee’s needs, or they’re less satisfied with their role because a key task has shifted to someone else. Their growth has been limited, and they don’t feel challenged. Maybe they don’t feel valued or appreciated.
Get better. Find the hidden gems, what’s working, and what’s not for your organisation. Discover hidden challenges and opportunities or competitor insights. Maybe they’re leaving because they’ve been offered a better deal, or their new employer does something better or different to you.
Improves culture and promotes genuine engagement for those staying. It shows the organisation is open to and values feedback, and signals that everyone has a voice.
Creates positivity where there may have been mostly negativity. By showing up (being present in the situation) and really hearing the exiting staff member, they may now leave with a more positive outlook. Perhaps they can see things in a different light. The grass isn’t always greener. It’s not uncommon to hear about the text that follows an exit a few months later, the “Hi, just checking in and wanted to say how much I miss everyone there. I wondered if you have any openings that might be a good fit for me.”
Ways to make exit interviews work for you
There are a variety of different ways to engage in an exit interview. It could be a well-considered face-to-face meeting, a phone or video call, a survey or a questionnaire.
My preference is in person, it’s private, easier to connect and helps the interviewee relax. You can observe body language and look out for what might not be said. If participants are reluctant to engage in person (I’d always try to establish why), and there’s good reason, then a phone or video call would be the next best option.
You also need to consider who should do it. Often, the exiting staff members team leader or direct manager isn’t the best person, especially if they could be part of the problem, lack the skills, experience or confidence. Find someone else suitable in your organisation or seek independent expertise.
Embed exit interviews into your offboarding practice. Adopt a process that works for you and your environment. Blending some structure with a go-with-the-flow approach can often reap the best outcomes, presenting you with insights that would not have been shared in a more formal setting. Over time, you can see trends and quickly act on them.
Someone independent and experienced will often get better engagement from a departing employee and more honest and valuable feedback, because they are perceived as objective and neutral. The outcome can be more useful insights to leverage change and improvements. This can result in those that stay seeing the value you place on “staff voice,” that the changes make work and being on the team more enjoyable, and you end up with a more engaged and productive workplace.
Here to help
The implementation of exit interviews in the organisation at the beginning of my story was a pivotal tool that resulted in tangible improvements, which helped the workplace become better. Making a commitment to conducting thorough exit interviews and acting on the feedback received was crucial. Analysing the responses allowed us to pinpoint specific areas for improvement and make necessary changes.
The insights gained quickly shone a light on the need for better onboarding practice, a dedicated training programme for new staff, technical buddies for support of team members and more open and honest conversations so problems could be resolved sooner, not left to fester and escalate. This not only helped reduce turnover but also fostered a more positive and inclusive workplace culture.
If you don’t ask, you won’t know. As Kofi Annan (former Secretary General, UN and Nobel Peace Prize winner) put it, “Knowledge is power. Information is liberating.” What could your organisation be missing out on? If you want to gain invaluable insights about your organisation, reduce costs, get better and have a more engaged and productive team, get in touch for an obligation free chat.
Della Henderson, Principal Consultant, Ruru Workplace Solutions