When employees leave: the importance of the exit interview

In spite of the care they may give to the hiring process, small businesses are not immune from losing employees. The reasons can be as varied as the people involved. You should never ignore the invaluable feedback you can receive from the departing employees on these occasions.

As the small-business owner, you owe it to yourself to maximize these experiences. Do some soul searching to determine what you want, and need, to know from the departing employee. Begin by reviewing the employee’s file; why did you hire this person initially? What was the particular fit of the qualifications to the job description? How has his/her performance borne out your original expectations? The answers to these questions will also help you determine the depth of the void created by this separation.

Hence, the exit interview. This can be a valuable tool for you as an employer/business owner to use to strengthen your business operations. When used properly, you may eventually not have to use it at all.

Too often, employers believe they know why a person chooses to leave the business. Therefore, they miss a golden opportunity to gather invaluable feedback. Here are the questions to ask in the exit interview and the issues to ponder when you receive the answers.

Question: At what point did you start seeking other employment opportunities?

Prepare yourself for the response to this question. You may learn you have had a disgruntled employee for quite some time. Suppose the employee relates to you several incidents of supervisor harassment? Your having been unaware of this does not make you less culpable. And, why didn’t the employee report it? Was she/he afraid of repercussions and/or termination? What did you just learn about your operation? You have some work to do.

Question: How did the training you were provided prepare you for the job(s) you were assigned?

Were assumptions made based on prior work experience that this new hire required no formalized training? Was the employee trained on one job then assigned another? Are training records accurate? Or, perhaps you learn that training is one area in which your business excels. (If so, great. One less worry.)

Question: Do you believe there was room for growth for you with this company? Did you attempt to pursue it? If no, why not? If yes, with what results?

Wouldn’t you hate to learn that you are losing a talented individual because his/her efforts had gone unnoticed and/or unrewarded? (It may be too late, but you may be able to interject a counter offer here.) Solicit input as to what this employee believes he/she could offer your business. What does the employee suggest could have been done to further engage him/her?

Question: Does our rate of compensation have anything to do with your decision to leave?

Too often employers think money and benefits are the main reasons employees depart. Talking with hundreds of people who decide it’s time for a change reveals that very few would leave a job they truly enjoy. Yes, quite often, as families grow, it becomes imperative that greater compensation must be sought. But, what about your ability to anticipate and positively address this issue. If actual monetary increases are not feasible, talk with your personnel to let them know how much their efforts are appreciated and what the current financial situation is at the business. Are there other needs that could be met as an act of good faith?

Question: What would be the ideal position for you at this company? What would this position enable you to do — for yourself? for the company?

What an eye-opener this answer could be. Ask probing questions here as the employee sees an opportunity to make valuable contributions. Do not ask this question in an effort to placate departing employees. They will see it for what it is and summarily dismiss it. 

How often can you afford to lose a piece of your puzzle, then replace it? That cost is a good number to keep in mind as you meet with your employees in staff meetings and employee functions. The question here is: how can I contribute to your professional development to ensure you want to stay here and strengthen our foundation? Don’t wait until an exit interview to learn what has been in front of you all along.

And coming back to the win-win situation; what’s the win for the departing employee? If you’ve been sincere during the interview, this person has gained confidence in his/her ability to assess and convey situations. There is always the possibility employees may change their minds, but don’t count on it. Hopefully, you have given them the credence that their input is valuable and they will take that with them. Who knows, perhaps someday you will work for them.

By now you realize, the exit interview is an opportunity, but don’t rely on it as a fail-safe.         

Nancy Ansteth has been a New York State-certified business advisor at the Onondaga Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at OCC for more than 10 years. She is retiring this year and wishes the director and staff continued success assisting entrepreneurs of Central New York.