How To Use Exit Surveys In Conjunction With Exit Interviews

  When an employee announces that he or she is leaving a company, it’s a common human resource practice to conduct an exit interview. The purpose is to determine why an employee is leaving by giving them a chance to share their objective thoughts, with the hopes that either the company can convince them to stay, or at least gather some valuable feedback that can be used to improve things. Employees tend to be very candid during this time, because they believe they have nothing to lose. It’s possible to gain insight into whether or not your company is able to provide a rewarding environment for your workforce by tapping into the exit interview.

Making face-to-face exit interviews less unpleasant

A face-to-face exit interview is often an awkward experience for both the departing employee and the manager conducting the meeting. It can also be risky, as the employee may be agitated and looking to vent on someone in the company. Furthermore, managers often try to handle the meetings, but they may leave out vital, company-wide information that makes the whole process a waste of time.

How can your organization make the most of the exit interview using an Exit Survey?

Send an Exit Survey to the employee as soon as you receive notice they are quitting. Don’t waste any time in doing this. Studies have shown that many employees will use up vacation time during the last 2 weeks of employment, so they may not be available to meet in person. Ask employees to complete within 48 hours. Take this time to also schedule the exit interview with the employee. Once the results of the Exit Survey are received, review them so you have an idea of why the employee is leaving. This can help you to prepare for the meeting. Use the 2-way feedback function, facilitated by Thymometrics, to send a message thanking the employee for participating. Then ask for clarification on any issues that the employee brought up. Keep the exit interview private and respectful, with back up from another member of HR. No manager needs to be present, so that the employee can speak freely. Discuss any relevant Exit Survey feedback with the employee during the interview, addressing key points. Ask them if any of the items mentioned can be remedied in some way. Emphasize that the company cares and would like to retain the employee (should this be the case). Employee Exit Surveys provide honest insights and are highly complimentary to face-to-face exit interviews which can diffuse any tension or retaliation that the employee may be feeling. At the very least, use the survey results to make things better for the employees you do have on board.

To find out how you can benefit from using Exit Surveys in your business, contact Thymometrics by email info@thymometrics.com, call +1 646 760 9323 (US) or +44 (0) 1223 750 251 (Europe) or visit thymometrics.com. Image courtesy of Ambro at FreeDigitalPhotos.net