An exit interview is a conversation or survey that happens when someone is leaving the company, whether they’ve decided to move on or it’s due to other circumstances. The idea is to get some honest feedback about their time with the company—why they’re leaving, what they thought about the work environment, management, and culture, and if they have any suggestions to help us improve.
Here’s why exit interviews are useful:
Understanding why people leave: It gives us insight into what’s causing people to move on, so we can work on improving retention.
Getting real feedback on culture: Employees tend to be more open and honest when they’re leaving, so it’s a good time to learn about any issues we might not be aware of.
Improving things for the team: We can take what we learn and make changes that improve the experience for everyone else.
Leaving on a positive note: It’s a chance to end things on good terms and keep the door open for future opportunities or networking.
Most of the time, these interviews are done by HR, though some companies might use anonymous surveys to encourage more open feedback.