Are exit interviews really worth it?

Welcome to this week’s Discuss HR, the HR blog written for and by members of Human Resources UK.

Following on from yesterday we all know each other a little bit better now!  Based upon the comments I’ve received so far it seems everyone had a very good time.  We have one more event this month in Newcastle on 31^st (see their specific subgroup for more details).

It sounds rather obvious, but one of the key traits to networking is listening.  This is also a key trait in today’s topic – exit interviews.  I am very pleased to welcome our latest guest writer, seasoned blogger and HR Consultant Sharon Clews.  In the article Sharon very eloquently argues with herself about the pros and cons of exit interviews.  We would really love to know your thoughts and which argument you agree with.  (Ed Scrivener)

Are exit interviews really worth it?

I have been called the Exit Interview Queen. I was a staunch advocate for the use of them at every organisation I worked in. I formulated all the questions, made sure my team knew they had to complete them and of course, was the first person to schedule one when anyone resigned. But I find myself wondering now, are they really worth it?

What happens to the information you glean from a potentially disgruntled employee? Alternatively, is there anything you could possibly gain from an employee who loves the company and doesn’t see the need for change? Will you take that information and pass it on to the departments who really need it? Are you going to confront the Manager of Marketing and tell her that all her staff hates her and that they see her as a hindrance to the business? (If you do, hopefully it’s in more professional terms!). Will she take the advice?

How much of what you learn is constructive? If you do have feedback to give, in the case of the Marketing Manager for example, are your team skilled and disciplined enough to make that feedback effective and to deliver that message with the care it needs. What does it mean for the culture of your organisation?

With stakeholder management foremost in your mind, how will you determine what is best for the business?

The argument for.

At the end of any period of time in a job, there is nothing more satisfying than being asked why you are leaving. Whether that reason is based on dissatisfaction or euphoria, sometimes it is just delicious to get that opinion off your chest.

To be listened to and heard may well seem an opportunity you can’t afford to miss. Of course if you have been working for an organisation that values your input, hopefully nothing you say will be news to them – they would have heard it all before in your performance review, monthly one-on-ones, in weekly team meetings and in your regular ideas sessions.

As an employee, always take the opportunity to have an exit interview. Deliver what you need to say with professionalism and grace, and always with the best interests of the business at heart – regardless of what has personally happened to you. You will always be remembered for your poise in a difficult situation and that augurs well when references are being handed out.

From the organisation’s perspective, one of the strongest arguments for conducting exit interviews concerns the retention of knowledge. Clearly it might be too late to ask the departing employee to handover all they know, on their last day. This is an opportunity if there are no processes in place, to (preferably) finalise their handover process or at least get as much information as you can out of the employees head before they leave. It’s a very dangerous situation indeed when someone working for the organisation decides to leave after 32 years and nobody knows how to do their job. In times of downturn and recession, this is a real concern for business.

A vast majority of employees, having made their decision to leave, may be more forthcoming with their opinions on what needs fixing. Although this information must be tempered, it could give specific insight into process improvement, management, culture and environment and even how external dealings are made with customers or suppliers.

If you aregoing to carry out an exit interview, perhaps do it as the employee resigns, not as they are walking out the door. Many of these interviews are the last thing an employee has to do before they walk away from your organisation. You may catch them in a better frame of mind as they resign. Attitudes towards work can change rapidly if having to work out notice is not their preferred choice.

The argument against.

Does your organisation have a performance management framework? Do supervisors and managers have conversations with their staff once (or hopefully more!) per year? If so, what other information do you think you will glean from an exit interview. People leave their jobs for a variety of reasons, on financial grounds, career advancement, relocation or disputes with managers or values within organisations. I am an outspoken extrovert and yet, the last exit interview I gave, the very last thing I wanted to do was tell the truth. Why? Because I knew that nothing I said would be heeded. No feedback I gave was any more relevant on the last day than it was on the first. Our values differed greatly.

Of course there are other kinds of feedback people can provide. A staff member leaving could share information on process improvement, networking opportunities, new ideas. I then ask myself, why was this person not listened to during the time they worked there?

If your managers and supervisors are true leaders, then they are meeting regularly with their people to engage them with the business strategy and find ways of working that will continually challenge the business. They are having discussions with their people about their goals, ambitions and commitment to the business. If this is happening and your performance management system works, then there is always ample opportunity for your team to contribute to ideas for the business, continuous improvement projects and even direct feedback on how they are being managed

If you do wish to continue with exit interviews then here are some basic guidelines that could help:

• Have someone other than a direct report, up or down, do the interviewing and not just the HR Manager. Some of the most honest and informative exit interviews I have seen have been done by trusted peers.
• Make sure the questions are relevant. Try and elicit the real response for why someone is leaving. Ask about the main reason and then ask if there are other reasons.
• Do something with the data. Whatever responses you get from the interview, it is the HR Department’s job to give the feedback, investigate any claims, encourage process improvement and even alter policy if and when appropriate.
• Do the interview face to face. Perhaps even off-site. Someone face to face is better than a phone call or online survey. Hire a consultant if necessary.
• Ensure the interview is relevant. Different techniques and styles need to be used depending upon the reason the person has for leaving.

Whatever you decide, ensure you do it thoroughly and respectfully for both the departing employee and the organisation. Get to the real issue of why you are doing the interview and follow up with any suggestions the employee makes. Either remedy issues immediately that can be fixed, or highlight others as projects to focus on. If you do the interviews, make sure that what you take away from them sticks!

Exit interviews are seen to be an evolved state of a strategically aligned HR Department. They leave the employee feeling cared about and listened to. These are powerful emotions when thinking about future talent attraction and retention. The information you get from an exit interview can be a real insight into what the business needs if you value your people and their opinions.

I am genuinely very torn on this subject. I welcome all comments to help me get off the fence on this one.

About the author

Sharon returned to London in 2008 and started her own consultancy business, taking a change in direction from Human Resources Management to Social Media business strategy consulting. Sharon now works with a select group of clients in both arenas, HR and Social Media; helping them in areas of management, change consulting and communications.

Sharon’s career experience includes a recent project within the Financial Services Industry and time within the higher education sector as the Manager of Operations and Human Resources for the University of Queensland Press and the University of South Australia. Her roles oversaw strategic change management and business transformation initiatives.  She also has broad experience elsewhere in public and private sectors working within the areas of sales and marketing, client relationship management and project management.

Sharon holds a Post Graduate HR Development degree from the Queensland University of Technology and is currently studying French, philosophy and guitar.

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Discuss HR is the blog for Human Resources UK, the leading LinkedIn group for those involved with HR in the UK.  Next week’s Discuss HR will be published on Thursday 17^th May and will be written by Leadership Coach Dorothy Nesbit.

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