Conducting exit interviews

This is the last in a series of five features that has looked at stages in the employment cycle from advertising a vacancy through to employee induction and leaving employment.

Some 75% of all leavers depart within the first six months of employment. This gives an indication that current procedures including recruitment, selection and induction training may be failing and could possibly be in need of re-structure. Employees who have served the company for under a year can be a costly commodity. It is worthwhile conducting an ‘exit interview’ with the leaver to find out the reasons for their departure. The exit interview provides a valuable channel for the employer to gather information from the departing employee that may have a positive effect on future employment conditions and ways of working.

Exit interviews provide an opportunity for both employer and employee to discuss views on both the employee's time at the company and the company's culture. In some instances it can be used as a way to induce a disgruntled employee to stay or to iron out issues where there may be a misunderstanding. In severe cases the interview may prevent an employee from lodging a constructive dismissal claim if they feel that they have been forced to resign due to untenable working conditions.

The exit interview’s purpose is to gather reasons as to why the employee has decided to leave the business. With this in mind it is important to conduct the interview on neutral ground and to select an interviewer that is not directly involved with the employee.

The interviewer should assure the departing employee that anything said will be confidential. The interview should explore issues including:

Records should be kept of all leavers’ comments and a detailed analysis carried out at regular intervals throughout the year. This should unearth any patterns that are developing and highlight where improvements and changes can be made.

Finally, as part of the exit procedure you need to ensure that all necessary administration has been covered. This is the time when the employer should approach issues such as settlement of any outstanding loans, recovering company property such as mobile phones and laptops, ensuring that the correct final payments have been made including any accrued holiday pay, commission etc and that the employee has been issued with their P45. Exit interviewing need not be a chore – undertaken properly it can provide valuable information for you to use in your future planning.