Exit Interviews: What Insights Have You Gained from Conducting Them?

Exit Interview

Hi friends, this is Mohan, and I am here to share some information on "Exit Interview." I hope this information will be useful to us.

Regards,
Mohan

Nice posting, Mohan. However, I have a query: Do you think we may receive relevant information if we have only open-ended questions in the exit interview form? Please give your views.

Regards,
Surabhi

Hi!

I am doing my research on "Exit interviews and their impact on Retention Management" and for this research, I am conducting a random sampling. Would love to know if any of you can help me complete my research by filling in my questionnaire. I am open to any of your thoughts, ideas, and suggestions on this topic.

Thank you!

Regards, Poonam

Dear Mohan,

The Exit Interview format attached seems to be good. However, no matter what format one uses to gather feedback from outgoing employees, I don't think that HR will receive genuine feedback. Based on my experience, I have noticed three types of responses: first, 80 to 90% positive; second, a similar percentage of negativity; and third, only 10% sincere feedback.

The first group consists of individuals who were well-regarded in all aspects and wanted to maintain a positive relationship even after leaving. They believe that maintaining a good reputation is important for potential future opportunities, so they tend to provide feedback with a positive spin.

The second group includes individuals who may have had conflicts or issues leading to their departure. Their responses are typically negative, and they may even criticize the exit interview process itself.

The third group genuinely wants to share their experiences, both positive and negative, in an honest manner. They provide real and accurate feedback. Therefore, during exit interviews, HR professionals should categorize outgoing employees into these groups to analyze feedback accurately and recommend appropriate corrective actions.

Best regards,

Gopal

Dear Mr. Mohan and Friends,

Thank you for the valuable information, and I appreciate your courtesy in sharing it. I would like to take this opportunity to contribute some points for improving employee satisfaction within the organization:

1. Address conflicts between bosses and co-workers.
2. Enhance organizational culture (OC) to create a positive work environment.
3. Address personal inconveniences that may affect employee well-being.

I believe these areas should be considered for the betterment of all employees.

Best regards,
Murali.T

We follow more or less the same kind of questionnaire, but hardly any employee gives an honest answer! Moreover, hardly anyone from the management side reads it. I believe it is simply a formality that the company goes through.

Regards,
Khyati Pandya
HR, Ahmedabad
[Email Removed For Privacy Reasons]

Thank you very much, Mr. Mohanasundaram, for sharing your insights. However, will the departing employee provide us with accurate information or complete the form diligently if it is an open-ended question? We could consider offering options such as fair/good/not good, etc. Please share your thoughts.

Regards,

Hi Surabhi,

Most of the time, open-ended questions provide us with an exact picture of the scenario. In my opinion, only through open-ended questions can we obtain a clear-cut understanding or the precise opinion of the end-user. With closed-ended questions, we are unable to analyze the reasons and make decisions based on them. Therefore, we prefer open-ended questions. Hi friends, if you have anything to add to this, please let me know.

Thank you.

Hi Friends,

First of all, I would like to thank all the individuals for their views and valuable comments.

Mr. Gopal, I accept your view, but in my opinion, it is hard to segregate like this during the process. Similarly, it is true that most individuals do not reveal the exact reason due to various factors. However, as HR professionals, we should be able to explain the process and its requirements so that they may disclose the exact reason. This is my opinion. If you have any other suggestions, please feel free to share.

Thank you.

Hi Neeharika & Khyati Pandiya, Thanks for your suggestions. I think I have answered the question in this post. For your reference, I have responded to Surabhi, and I hope my answer addresses your question as well. Please review it and get back to me if you have any further questions or suggestions.

Thank you.

Dear Mr. Mohan,

Good evening,

Thank you very much for the information you have shared with us. It is essential to conduct interviews when an employee is leaving the present company. This practice will be beneficial for the company to maintain its reputation in the future. If an employee resigns due to harassment by another employee or superior, the company management can investigate the issue before the employee's departure. They can then find a suitable solution and take appropriate action against the offender. This proactive approach will help the company protect its employees in the future and prevent any damage to its reputation.

The HR department should be more vigilant in addressing these types of problems.

Thanks and regards to all.

Jai PB Nair

There has been a lot of research done about the accuracy, or should I say inaccuracy, of what people say at an exit interview and what the "real" reasons are for their departure. The variance of inaccuracy is huge. You might be bringing in organizational changes based on the data from the exit interviews that might not be true.

The top 3 reasons why people leave in the UK are:
1. Relationship with the line manager and employee had broken beyond repair
2. Lack of career and personal development
3. Lack of flexible working

Regards,
Kaval Vaseer
HR - Learning and Development
United Kingdom

Dear Mr. Gopal,

I accept your view, but according to my perspective, it's hard to segregate like this when we are conducting the process. Similarly, it's true that most people don't reveal the exact reasons due to various factors. However, as an HR professional, we should be in a position to explain the process and its needs so that they may share the exact reasons. This is my opinion. If you have any other suggestions, please go ahead.

R. Mohanasundaram
H.R Executive

Dear Mohan,

Periodic one-on-one sessions are one of the best tools to gather feedback from individuals. Analyze the feedback and take corrective measures if necessary. If not, conduct a counseling session with the individual. Follow up with them after two months to analyze any changes in attitude, behavior, and contribution. Repeat this process with a suitable gap depending on the number of employees. Maintain the data in an Excel file and keep it updated. Analyze a year's worth of data, and you will gain a fair idea about each individual.

Thanks,
Gopal

Timing of Exit Interviews

Exit interviews should be conducted soon after resignation, during the notice period, after relieving, or after full and final settlement. Who will actually be brave or care enough to be honest?

Thank you for providing the information. I am new to this field, and it was really helpful for me. Thanks once again.

Thank you very much for your response and for your valuable feedback. I will continue to seek out this kind of information and will gladly share it with all of you. Thank you once again.

Regards

Good effort, keep it up! However, my experience reveals that people often consider exit interviews just a formality. When an outgoing person resigns, they typically do not want to spoil the relationship with their last employer and therefore, will only provide positive remarks. Exceptions to this behavior are very few.

Advice for Beginners in HR

As a beginner in the HR profession, please do not get discouraged but continue contributing. All the very best!

Regards,
K.S. Gopalakrishnan