Employee exit interviews give us the opportunity to gather useful information about our company from employees who resign. When employees leave our company, they may feel more comfortable sharing experiences they had while working for us.

Specifically, we want to discover:

  • Why an employee is leaving.
  • What an employee liked or disliked about our company.
  • Whether official job descriptions reflect our employees’ actual work.
  • What we can improve to make our workplace more efficient and pleasant.

Please note: This employee exit interview policy refers to employees who leave our company voluntarily.

Exit Interview Policy

Once an employee submits a notice of resignation, HR may reach out to them to ask for an exit interview, preferably in writing. Employees may choose their interview format or decline to participate.

Ideally, interviews should take place before employees’ final week of work. HR should avoid scheduling interviews for an employee’s last day unless there’s no other opportunity. Alternatively, HR may schedule interviews within [a month] after employees leave.

HR is responsible for analyzing data from exit interviews and sharing insights and recommendations with senior management. They may report on results annually, quarterly, or more frequently if needed (e.g. if a large number of employees leave within a certain period.)

Exit Interviews are Voluntary

There won’t be any repercussions for employees who refuse to participate (e.g. references and payouts won’t be affected.) HR professionals are responsible for informing employees that their participation is greatly appreciated but optional.

Sample exit interview questions

  • Exit interview questions may vary depending on each employee’s seniority and role. Here are some sample questions for all roles:
  • Please describe your general feelings about working here. If possible, please tell us what prompted your resignation.
  • What did you enjoy most about working here?
  • What would you change about our workplace?
  • How would you rate the availability of guidance and training opportunities here?
  • Do you feel you were recognized for your work?
  • Were there obstacles that prevented you from doing your job efficiently? If so, what were they?

HR should use those basic questions in all exit interviews to consolidate results more easily. After employees answer these baseline exit interview questions, HR may encourage an unstructured talk for employees to air whatever they’d like.

Your employee experience exists whether you strategically craft it or not. We help you make it yours.

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