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Many who have given an “exit interview” to their company have described it with a shrug of the shoulders and a “for what it’s worth.” Exit interviews have an almost mythical reputation for being a waste of time. Did anything ever change at a company as a result of what comes out of an exit interview? Inc. magazine interviewed Michael Bloomberg, before he was Mayor of New York and Bloomberg said that when someone left his company (a $1.3-billion, 4,000-employee provider of global news and financial and business information), he took it as a personal insult. He considered those leaving to be “contravening his code of loyalty” and he didn’t wish them luck or even shake their hands on their way out the door. He couldn’t have cared less about what came out of an exit interview, unless an entire department left at once and that would signal a problem to him.
Well, that is one approach. On the other hand, SembraCare contends that a departing worker’s comments and thoughts may have value, even as you rejoice at his or her departure. Never be afraid of feedback.
When workers leave, it isn't just their skill set walking out the door. Departing workers can provide valuable insight and feedback that can help you improve your company. That's why you need to conduct well-planned exit interviews, and learn the appropriate etiquette needed for the final conversation. Our suggestions:
- Don’t expect too much.
- Don’t believe too much.
- Don’t ask too much.
Many exiting workers aren’t eager to invest much energy in answering too many questions. They’re more likely to give socially correct answers—like "the pay is better at the new job"—than candid ones. The trick to avoiding that scenario is asking a short list of specific questions. Try framing your exit questions in a neutral context that would elicit thoughtful responses rather than empty, safe platitudes. Avoid if possible putting a person in the position of having to directly criticize the people to whom she reported. You can also use exit interviews to reinforce security policies and legal matters. That is, you can talk to the employee about company policies that may continue to affect them as she or he becomes employed elsewhere. Examples are company trade secrets as well as issues of confidentiality in connection with other matters handled on behalf of the worker. Managers should give the exiting worker a copy of any confidentiality, trade secret or other binding documents signed during their tenure with the company as a reminder of the terms of those agreements. The exit interview is a chance to be sure the Company retrieves all its property, and to verify the exiting worker’s contact information should this person’s assistance be required in the future. The company should finalize, as much as possible, the terms on which such assistance would be provided. For example, the exiting worker might be hired on a consulting basis for a set period of time. It is important to negotiate these particulars while the worker is still waiting on getting paid. Respect can reap big rewards. Remember to treat a worker as you would like to be treated if you were in his or her shoes. Managers might be surprised at what they find out. A good exit conversation can provide insight on the following:
- Whether the departing individual’s new job is truly a better opportunity or simply an escape from an underlying problem in the company
- Whether the worker was actively recruited—and what you might do to prevent other desirable workers from being lured away—or whether the worker sought out the new job on his or her own
If you would like some help developing a security or separation policy, give SembraCare a call.
