It appears that employees choose to leave an organization for three main reasons: to explore an exciting new career opportunity, transfer to a better paying job or because of core concerns which have not been properly resolved by the current employer.

This last reason is one of the most damaging factors that can happen to an organisation’s human resources. Replacing valuable employees is expensive and time consuming. Conducting exit interviews can help a business discern the precise reason for their employees departure. This can then pave the way for improvements which can benefit the business in the long run.

Some suggest that exit interviews are a waste of time, which is not the case. Employers often believe that their employees are reluctant to answer questions honestly in case they jeopardise their credibility and standing with their employer.  But exit interviews provide a chance to resolve any “unresolved” issues without threatening the employee’s standing.  So exit interviews potentially have a much more positive side.

Organisations can use this interview to discover their deficiencies. Most of the time, employees will endure poor management, lack of perks or miscommunication, so these issues are not necessarily brought to light.  This can lead to the depletion of valuable human resources. Exit interviews benefit the organization only when they are conducted honestly and businesses are willing to make subsequent changes.

Exit interviews should be conducted as a way to identify potential improvements to the work environment. Many employees resign due to unresolved issues they can no longer tolerate because they don’t want to clash with or confront their management. Human resources departments can use exit interviews as a source of valuable information for improving their retention of staff and also to express their appreciation regarding the efforts and services offered by the departing employee.

Exit interviews need to be conducted with respect, allowing the departing employee an opportunity to be heard. When an organization is willing to take steps to rectify any grievous issues brought to light, there is a good chance this will prevent similar complications in the future. Taking positive action will certainly make the workplace better for employees who are still working there and those who may join the company in the future.

Face to face exit interviews give the best results. Ideally, the interview needs to be conducted in a neutral atmosphere. There should be no signs of retaliation from the employer’s representative. It is always better to ask the departing employee specific questions in order to gain the best helpful information.

Endeavour to ensure there are no hard feelings and end the exit interview on a lighter note. Carefully structured interviews can highlight the areas where the company is doing well and those that need to be improved.