If you’re seeking candid feedback about how you manage employees, asking current team members may not always be a good idea. Instead, your outgoing employees are the best people to get these insights from.
Conducting exit interviews can help provide insights on how departing employees view your company and what you can do to improve employee happiness and satisfaction.
What are the Best Exit Interview Questions to Ask?
Open, honest communication is key to discovering the reason/s why your employees decide to leave and move on to a better opportunity.
By conducting a proper offboarding process, you can ask the right exit interview questions and identify areas of improvement. We’ve listed some must-ask questions below.
- Why are you looking for a new job?
There isn’t a single answer to this question since employee A has different reasons for leaving from employee B. For example, some people look for professional or financial growth. Over time, you’ll uncover important insights as you detect common answers and overlaps in responses.
- Why are you leaving the company?
Take note: this exit interview question is different from the first one. Consider how some employees resign without seeking a new role or opportunity. If that’s the case, they might have internal issues, and it’s your responsibility to ask about it during the exit interview.
- What made you accept your new role?
Asking this question can help you compare your organization to another company your outgoing employee will be joining. The answers can provide deeper insights about how you can manage your employees better and promote engagement.
For example, an outgoing employee seeking financial growth, could be a sign that you may need to start rethinking your benefits and compensation package.
- Were you equipped with the proper tools & skills?
A tech-focused strategic plan is a must to maintain seamless business ops. After all, using outdated machinery or equipment could lead to inefficiencies and disgruntled employees.
Ask yourself: do you need to introduce new training programs or provide better equipment to improve employee performance? You may also want to identify possible upskilling opportunities for current employees to help them stay competitive and relevant.
- How would you describe our company culture?
Conducting an exit interview entails more than just listening to outgoing employees air their frustrations; it also helps to know where they stand and feel about your company culture.
If your organization has weak branding, it’ll be harder to attract and retain talent. Employees care more about value, culture, and reputation in today's ever-connected world, and if they feel that they “don’t belong,” they could be led astray and more likely to leave.
- What could we have done to keep you around for longer?
Get suggestions from departing employees about what to improve in your current process and keep employees around for longer. Single out common answers: for example, do outgoing employees feel dissatisfied about benefits or career advancement opportunities?
- Were your career goals & objectives defined properly?
We consider this a top exit interview question. After all, a significant fraction of employees leave because of unrealistic goals and career objectives.
All goals and targets should be communicated properly, and celebrating achievements can help improve employee retention. Consider how individual success contributes to overall company growth.
- Did you receive constructive feedback?
Employees who struggle with their day-to-day job need constructive feedback to help them get back on track — so don’t wait until your team members are on their way out. Besides conducting exit interviews, you can align with your senior leadership and revisit your feedbacking process.
If your team has a staff retention problem, invest in management training so your company leaders can learn how to properly provide feedback, admit mistakes, and adapt their management style depending on different employee needs. Embrace a growth mindset and facilitate a feedback-friendly environment.
- Did you share your concerns with anyone else at the company?
This question can hold outgoing employees accountable for wanting to leave the company. If this is their first time letting you know about their concerns, it could reflect a refusal to compromise and speak up. However, you may also want to consider if your workplace values employee opinions and provides platforms or opportunities where employees can comfortably share insights.
- What did you like the most about your role?
Exit interviews aren’t just an opportunity for you to solicit constructive feedback: it also sheds light on what your company has done right.
Whether outgoing employees loved your monthly town hall meetings, virtual game nights, or working with a colleague, finding out what they enjoyed the most could help you expand on these positive attributes and create related employee engagement initiatives.
- What would you change about your job or our company?
This exit interview question can help you uncover insights into why employees want on from your company in a non-confrontational way. Instead of making the departing employee share a complaint, they’ll feel more comfortable providing a suggestion instead.
- Did you feel like a valued member of the company?
Did you know that people who feel undervalued and underappreciated are more likely to leave? Think of it this way: your employees need a constant reminder that you value their contributions. Showing appreciation can be simple: from giving shoutouts to offering financial incentives.
- Do you have any other concerns you’d like to share?
Ending the interview with an open-ended question leaves the floor open for discussion or any final remarks. If you missed anything, asking this question can help you reveal things you are unaware of or may not want to hear. Just remind yourself to keep an open mind.
Offer More Robust Employee Benefits for a Better Workplace
If exit interviews teach us anything, you need to be proactive when obtaining insights to improve your workplace. Don’t wait until before your employees leave, and incorporate some of these questions into your current performance review. Or better yet, consider offering benefits related to financial wellness or overall health and wellness, which can go a long way in improving staff retention and engagement.
To learn more, book a consultation with us today or check out our blog for more related reading.
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