Industries across the world are in the throes of the Great Resignation, a phenomenon where employees are quitting their jobs in droves. The COVID-19 pandemic has created a challenge for many employers, especially as members of their workforce quit unexpectedly. In the event of an employee’s exit, emotions can sometimes run high. Sometimes employees surprise management with the announcement of their departure. That’s why Prescott HR recommends implementing an Exit Interview system for every employee that chooses to leave your organization. If you are unsure what an exit interview is or how to properly conduct one, keep reading for some helpful tips from the team at Prescott HR below!

What is an Exit Interview?

Before we begin, you may be wondering what an exit interview is from an employers standpoint. An exit interview is a survey that the employer conducts with the employee who has given their notice of resignation. The exit interview often happens sometime in the employee’s two-weeks resignation or transition period out of their role. It’s helpful to have an HR representative in the exit interview to document answers to employer’s questions. Above all, an exit interview should be conducted in a positive and friendly manner. As an employer, an exit interview can be very helpful to gain deeper insight into employee turnover at your organization. Answers to questions can reveal issues within the workplace that you may not have been aware of until an employee’s exit interview. An exit interview also lets other current employees know that their views and perspectives are important to you and the organization. You want your employees to feel heard and valued, even in the event of one of them leaving.

What Should Employers Ask During an Exit Interview?

Now that you understand the importance of conducting an exit interview, here are a few suggestions for the kinds of questions you should ask your employee.

• Workload: This is a great opportunity to understand how the employee perceives their current workload. Are they leaving because they have too much on their plate and they are experiencing burnout? Is their current role not challenging them enough and they’ve become bored? Get to the bottom of how their day-to-day is run and find ways to improve the position before hiring someone new to fill it.
• Management: The exit interview is a powerful time to gain insight into your current management team. An exiting employee will unlikely hold back from expressing how they feel about their manager’s leadership style. This is an important step to identify managers who need additional training or leadership adjustments.
• Learn About Your Competition: It’s also helpful to question what kind of position they are transitioning to after they leave. Is the employee staying inside your industry, and if so, what kind of benefits did their new employer offer that appealed to them? It’s important to stay relevant with other company’s benefit packages and work perks. 
• Ask for Honest Feedback: In this position, the exiting employee should be willing to speak candidly. Ask them for ways to improve the position or the company culture as a whole. They may offer a perspective you never considered, or that other team members have not expressed to management. 

Quality HR Services Can Help You Retain Top Talent

Prescott HR offers a wide range of services that can help you to find and retain top talent for your organization. Our unintimated HR practices allow us to be focused and effective, providing your business with exactly what you need. Give us a call today at 443-351-8818 or contact us online.