The Real Value of Exit Interviews: How to Gain Honest Feedback

Exit interviews are often overlooked and seen as a waste of time.

However - they provide valuable insights into why employees leave and what your company can do better. Overall, I suggest a combo of stay & exit interviews but let’s start with the “Traditional” exit interview.

Why Exit Interviews Matter

Exit interviews can reveal trends in your workplace that might be going unnoticed. Whether it’s company culture, management issues, or lack of career development, understanding these factors can help you retain future employees.

Tips for Gaining Honest Feedback:

1. Create a Comfortable Environment
   Some employees prefer Zoom, an interview “pre-read,” or a phone call. Others might prefer a fillable form or may not want to meet at all—which is feedback in itself. Remember, employees are more likely to be honest if they feel safe. Who asks the questions is just as important as how and where you ask them.

2. Ask the Right Questions
   Focus on open-ended questions that encourage employees to share their true experiences. Here are some of my favorites:

   • If you had a magic wand, what would you change today?

   • What are some of your best times here at Company X?

   • If you were me, what would you do with this information?

3. Assure Anonymity
   Employees may fear burning bridges, and as an employer, you should take this into consideration. Don’t promise privacy unless you can deliver it. Make sure they know who will have access to their feedback and whether it will be tied directly to them—especially in a small company where word spreads fast, and everyone is friends with everyone.

4. Act on Feedback
   Feedback is useless unless you act on it. Look for patterns in the data you collect and make necessary changes to improve retention and workplace culture.

Disclaimer:

Do not conduct exit interviews unless you are committed to acting on the information you receive. Just like you wouldn’t ask for someone’s opinion without considering it, you shouldn’t seek employee feedback without being ready to listen. If you hear the same trends repeatedly and do nothing, you risk losing the trust of your remaining team, leading to higher turnover. Asking for help and not acting on it is a sure way to create resentment.

Conclusion

Exit interviews are your chance to identify weaknesses in your business that might be causing high turnover. With the right approach, you can turn departing employees into a source of continuous improvement.

Need Help Conducting Exit Interviews?

We provide expert-led exit interview processes that guarantee honest feedback, helping you take actionable steps to improve employee retention.

We’ll implement, you/your team or a tech stack can take it from there. Book your free consultation today and see if this is a good strategic process to add to your organization!