Exit interview

What it means

An exit interview is a conversation with a departing employee about why they are leaving and their experience of management, the team and working conditions. It usually takes place in the final weeks before termination of employment and is part of offboarding.

A departing employee no longer has a reason to hide problems, so they may say things that would not come up in a normal appraisal. Honest answers help uncover the causes of staff turnover, such as poor management, unsuitable pay or lack of development.

The interview only makes sense if the company actually analyses the answers and acts on them. If several people leave the same team for similar reasons, that is a clear signal for change that would stay hidden without exit interviews.

How it works in practice

The interview should be led by someone other than the direct manager, such as an HR specialist or external consultant, so the employee feels freer to speak. A structured set of questions helps, for example on reasons for leaving, what would have kept them and what they would advise the company to change.

Results are worth recording and reviewing regularly together with turnover data and satisfaction surveys such as eNPS. Aggregated findings, without identifying individuals, should go to management as input for decisions.

An exit interview is also a chance to hand over knowledge. Together with knowledge management, it helps capture ongoing tasks, contacts and procedures so that the departure does not leave a gap the successor will take a long time to fill.

What to watch out for

Interview notes contain personal data and assessments of other people. They must be protected, kept only as long as necessary and never used against the employee, for example when writing references.

A well-handled departure affects employer branding. Former employees rate companies on review sites and recommend them to acquaintances, and a fair and respectful exit may even lead to them returning later.