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Human Resources Expert Expert: Margaret Lobenstine
Exit interviews
Q: I am the controller for small Internet company. We started business in December 1999. We have noticed alot of turnover during this period of time. We want to start doing exit interviews, can you give us a sample exit interview or information where we might find some good questions to ask. I think it is important to understand why people are leaving. If there is something that the company needs to change, we can before it brings us down. Thank you for anything you can help us with.
A: Good for you for wanting to be pro–active! There are several areas of exit interview questioning that may help a small, probably high–powered, company like yours.
One involves quality of life issues: did the employees enjoy their fellow workers? Could they meet work requirements and still have the private life they desired? Was the work environment healthy? Did their peers carry their share of the load? Was the company located in an area that fit the employees' economic and personal situations?
Another involves relationships with superiors: Did the employees know what was expected of them? Did they receive explicit, positive praise for work well done? Did their superiors help them develop their expertise and show signs of caring about them as a person? Were their skills and talents efficiently utilized? Were there frequent, concrete, helpful evaluations?
Another concerns the company as a whole: Did the employees have the equipment and resources to do their work effectively? Were time frame expectations reasonable? Did the company value the role/position played by the departing employees? Was the company ethical in both its internal and external operations? Was its payroll and benefits package competitive?
Be sure to have open–ended questions in your exit interview as well, such as, is there anything else we should know about why you have chosen to leave? Or, what could we have done differently that would have caused you to stay?
Be sure the exit interview process is 100% confidential or you may never hear the truths you really need to hear!
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