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Source: Epotech. (2001). Conducting Exit Interviews. Retrieved May 18, 2005, from the Epotech database. Printer-friendly version Newsletter back issues Exit interviews can give a company an inside look at itself. By talking to workers who are leaving the company, a business can learn about poor supervisors, unacceptable working conditions and why another employer is more attractive to the employee.

A collection of exit interviews can reveal trends that need attention. In short, a manager can find out what's going wrong and start thinking about how to correct it.

But they survive because businesses believe they're valuable. Seventy-five percent of respondents polled said that they used some form of exit interview, and 90 percent of those respondents found the process worthwhile. Even officials with companies that don't do exit interviews believe they'd be helpful, the survey said.

But even advocates of exit interviews concede that employees aren't always forthcoming in their answers. So a lot depends on who asks the questions, what questions are asked and even where the interview occurs. Remarks made in exit interviews should be taken in proper context, too. The employee's length of service and whether he resigned, retired or was fired can be considered when weighing his remarks.

Many companies say exit interviews help prevent lawsuits by fired workers. For the employer, the exit interview presents an opportunity to certify why the worker was fired. Reasons for the dismissal can be discussed and the worker may be asked to sign documentation agreeing with that description.

Critics of the process advise employees to decline exit interviews, and never to sign anything if they do participate.

Advocates counter that the exit interview empowers departing employees by giving them a chance to voice their opinions on company operations. An employer who cares enough to ask for those impressions can leave even a fired worker with a better impression.

Key Tips

Key Tip 1:

A disinterested party should conduct the exit interview. The interviewer should be someone who wasn't intimately involved in the employee's daily activities. A human resources representative is a logical choice. The worker should be comfortable enough to be honest, even if that means criticizing someone. If the employee's been terminated, the interview should take place in the office of a personnel manager and, to avert a lawsuit, should be attended by an additional manager.

Key Tip 2:

Assure the employee her remarks will be kept totally confidential. There’s no sense in doing these interviews if workers edit their opinions because they're fearful of repercussions. Maintain exit interviews in confidential files and make sure employees know it.

Key Tip 3:

Recover company property. This is the time to retrieve documents, pagers, cell phones, client lists, databases, identification cards and keys. Tell the employee in advance that those items must be turned in at the interview. Some companies won't release a worker's final paycheck until this happens. This is also a good time to advise departing employees of ongoing obligations, such as confidentiality agreements.

Key Tip 4:

Resolve compensation issues. Besides the final paycheck, employees should be clear on vacation time, health insurance issues, unemployment compensation and, if the employee is retiring, Social Security benefits.

Specifics

You'll need to think ahead because conducting exit interviews requires planning. Consider the questions you want to ask, when to schedule the interview and where it should be held.

Timing

A fired employee shouldn't return to work after the interview, so schedule accordingly. An employee who leaves voluntarily can be interviewed anytime between the resignation and the worker's last day on the job. But if it's done early, arrangements will have to be made to collect keys, cell phones and other equipment.

Questions

Prepared questions are necessary, and can be asked orally or through a written questionnaire. Some questions should be open-ended to allow workers to express themselves. Other questions are better served by a multiple-choice format or ratings system. Some commonly asked questions are:

• What factors contributed to your accepting the job you're leaving?
• Did you understand what was required when you were hired?
• Did you receive sufficient orientation and training to fulfill those requirements?
• How would you assess your performance in this position?
• Do you think your supervisor evaluated you fairly during performance reviews?
• What are your main reasons for leaving?
• Are you leaving for another job?
• Are you staying in the same industry?
• Is your new job similar to the job you're leaving? How is it different?
• What does the new job offer you that your job here did not?
• What made your experience here enjoyable and satisfying? What made it less so?
• How would you rate your supervisor?

Location

As you can see, some of these questions ask for brutal honesty. To make the employee more comfortable, consider choosing an interview location away from the office. Terminated workers should be interviewed in the personnel office, but for others, a coffee shop might be more inviting and less intimidating. That way, they'll be out of earshot from coworkers and supervisors. Remember, you want this person to feel comfortable and free to speak frankly.

Follow-up

Request the employee's forwarding address so you can check back with a phone call. Most companies don't do this, but following up can be fruitful. The worker might have some helpful observations after he's had a chance to reflect.

An alternative to a follow-up call is a post-exit interview, performed six months or so after the employee's last day. This can be more valuable than the traditional exit interview because the person is:

• Less emotional
• Beyond any separation anxiety
• Not desperate for a glowing reference

Follow-through

All this exit interviewing is a waste of time if no one analyzes or acts upon the information gathered. Monitor the findings of your exit interviews and evaluate them regularly. Use the information to:

• Address common grievances
• Document the need for better benefits and training programs
• Justify personnel changes, such as promotions, interdepartmental shifts and new hires
• Identify potential legal risks
• Help a supervisor overcome a weakness

To maintain the confidentiality you promised, present managers with a synopsis of all the interview data on a monthly or quarterly basis. Try to compose the summary so supervisors can't recognize comments from individuals.

Alternatives

Other choices exist if you don't' think exit interviews are the best option for your organization. Some companies allow employees to submit anonymous questionnaires instead of face-to-face interviews. This strategy encourages honesty, but it's harder to analyze the information when you don't know which employee supplied it. Some consulting firms will conduct exit interviews for you, including setting up a toll-free number that workers can call.

FAQs

It seems to me that only the company benefits from exit interviews. How can we persuade employees to participate?

The exit interview helps employees, too. It can be a time for them to clear the air and get things off their chests, for one thing. Also, the experience empowers employees by asking them how they would change things if they could, or what they'd do differently if they were in charge. Exit interviews leave your employ feeling that their opinions and ideas matter.

Emphasize that the exit interview is entirely voluntary. Even an employee who's leaving under the happiest possible circumstances (having a baby, winning a lottery) might get negative vibes if she feels forced into the interview.

Why do some experts criticize the exit interview process?

Critics make these objections to exit interviews:

• Employees can't be counted on to be truthful. They may be afraid of burning bridges or feel uncomfortable about saying unflattering things.
• The exit interview is conducted too late to benefit the employee or the company.
• Managers never find out what their departing subordinates had to say.

These are all valid points, but you can overcome these obstacles to develop an effective exit-interview procedure. One tactic is to give the employee his letter of recommendation before the exit interview, so he won't hold back. And as an overall policy, managers should be encouraged to ask these probing questions on their own, before anyone decides to resign. Then there will be fewer exit interviews to worry about.

Should I conduct an exit interview for a terminated employee?

Yes, but tread cautiously, as this area is littered with potential legal land mines. Here are some pointers:

• Have two human resource staff members present as witnesses.
• Tell the employee why the company terminated him/her. Remind him/her of attempts to correct the unacceptable behavior. Someone who feels unfairly discharged could sue the company. Consult your lawyer for a list of legal, appropriate reasons for dismissal.
• Mention the employee's strengths and skills and suggest that they may be put to better use elsewhere. But don't imply that you'll help the employee get another job.
• Don't argue with the employee, and don't say anything that can get you sued for slander.

About MINES & Associates

For over 25 years MINES & Associates has been a nationally recognized business psychology firm that provides a variety of services to corporate employers including employee assistance programs (EAP), managed mental healthcare, organizational development and psychology services, wellness programs, behavioral risk management, disease management, PPO services, and a number of other technology based services. MINES & Associates is divided into two main divisions, Organizational Psychology and Health Psychology, and currently serves a diverse portfolio of clients in all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, and the UK.

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