Exit interviews

Exit interviews are an important tool for organisations and are preferably undertaken after an employee resigns but before they cease employment with the employer.

The purpose of an exit interview is to gain insight into why a worker has resigned. They help HR and managers to understand what the business is doing well, and where there is an opportunity to improve. It can be tempting to use an exit interview to persuade an employee to change their mind, however employers are discouraged to use this discussion to attempt to reverse an employee’s decision to leave.

An employee that has decided to leave most likely has needs or wants that aren’t being meet or they may be dissatisfied with their employment experience. Whilst undoubtedly a joint focus can improve this, it is unlikely to completely resolve issues, and they will no doubt resurface.