Article
7 min read
Mastering Exit Interviews: Key Questions and Expert Advice
Global HR
Author
Lorelei Trisca
Last Update
February 07, 2025
Published
February 07, 2025
Key takeaways
- Exit interviews help identify reasons for turnover and formulate strategies to improve retention.
- Exit interviews are essential feedback collection tools for gaining insights into employee satisfaction and organizational improvement.
- Carefully crafted exit interview questions elicit detailed responses that provide deeper insights. Additionally, a structured approach ensures data gathering consistency and reliability.
Exit interviews provide actionable insights that can lead to a healthier workplace culture. By mastering them, organizations can significantly enhance retention, culture, and overall efficiency.
In today’s global talent landscape, companies are increasingly searching for effective ways to understand and mitigate employee turnover. In this context, exit interviews are a key tool in gathering candid feedback about workplace culture and leadership.
This blog outlines actionable techniques—from selecting the right interviewer to crafting thoughtful questions—that empower organizations to harness the full potential of exit interviews. By implementing these strategies, businesses can enhance retention and build a healthier workplace culture.
Top tips on how to conduct a successful exit interview
A well-executed exit interview can provide a goldmine of insights to improve company culture, leadership, and employee retention. Ensuring a fair, conversational, and well-structured approach creates an environment where employees feel comfortable sharing honest feedback—helping your organization grow and evolve.
1. Select an impartial interviewer
Selecting the right person to conduct the exit interview is key to ensuring honest and constructive feedback. Employees may hesitate to share their true thoughts if they fear burning bridges or jeopardizing future references.
Sylvain Roy, CEO and HR Consultant at Folks, recommends that HR professionals handle exit interviews:
“The person conducting the exit interview needs to position themselves as an ally in the organization and a team player who cares about employee well-being. In any case, the immediate supervisor should not conduct the interview, as it is important to maintain a good level of objectivity during the exchange.”
Having someone from HR or the People team facilitates unbiased discussions and increases the likelihood that valuable feedback will be addressed. While some organizations opt for external consultants, this approach can feel impersonal or even intrusive, particularly for employees who had a positive experience at the company.
2. Listen closely and make it personal
Exit interviews shouldn’t feel like rigid, impersonal procedures. When done right, they can uncover valuable insights that help improve workplace culture, leadership, and retention.
Krittin Kalra, a seasoned founder, emphasizes the importance of a relaxed and open-ended conversation:
“It should be conversational and not rigid. It should be a conversation that is open-ended and not overly structured — one that doesn’t make the employee feel anxious or nervous while preparing for it or during the exit interview itself.”
Approach the interview as a dialogue rather than a checklist. Active listening is crucial—acknowledge what the employee says, ask follow-up questions, and demonstrate that their feedback is valued. Employees who feel heard are more likely to share meaningful insights that can drive real improvements.
3. Use a pre-interview survey for deeper insights
A structured written survey before the interview helps standardize feedback, identify trends, and make conversations more productive.
Consider sending a short questionnaire with key questions, such as:
- What were the main reasons for leaving?
- What could the company have done to retain you?
- What aspects of the company culture worked well, and what could be improved?
This allows employees to reflect on their responses in advance, leading to more thoughtful and detailed feedback during the interview. Reviewing their answers beforehand also helps the interviewer tailor follow-up questions for a more meaningful discussion.
Surveys
4. Schedule the interview at the right time
Timing is everything when it comes to exit interviews. Schedule the conversation about a week before the employee’s last day—close enough to their departure for their experience to be fresh, but not so close that they’re disengaged.
For added flexibility, consider sending the questions ahead of time. Some employees may appreciate the opportunity to prepare their thoughts, leading to a smoother and more productive discussion.
The best exit interview questions to ask your departing workers
Using these questions during exit interviews can provide a well-rounded picture of both the strengths and the areas needing improvement within your organization.
What led you to make the decision to look for a new opportunity?
Why ask this question: This question digs into the core reasons behind the departure.
What to look for in answers: Recurrent themes such as limited career growth, compensation issues, or problematic management practices can highlight systemic issues that need immediate attention.
(If relevant) What convinced you to take this new job?
Why ask this question: Understanding what attracted the employee elsewhere can reveal competitive gaps in benefits, work-life balance, or career progression.
What to look for in answers: Answers that cite better salary packages, flexible work conditions, or clearer advancement opportunities may indicate that your offerings need enhancement.
What will you miss most about our company?
Why ask this question: This highlights the positive aspects of your organization, providing insight into what is working well.
What to look for in answers: Consistent mentions of company culture, supportive teams, or unique perks suggest strengths that can be further leveraged to improve retention.
If you could change one thing that would make the most impact here, what would that be?
Why ask this question: This open-ended question encourages the employee to pinpoint their top concern or priority for change.
What to look for in answers: If multiple employees cite the same issue—be it a process, leadership style, or policy—it flags an area that might require urgent intervention.
If we could change one thing to support you in staying, what would it be?
Why ask this question: This question directly explores what could have retained the employee, revealing potential retention drivers.
What to look for in answers: Answers mentioning lack of support, insufficient training, or career development opportunities suggest immediate areas for improvement to keep other team members engaged.
What were the three best things about working with us?
Why ask this question: Identifying key positives helps reinforce successful practices and areas where the company excels.
What to look for in answers: Patterns such as teamwork, company culture, or innovative projects indicate strengths that should be maintained and celebrated.
What were the three worst things about working with us?
Why ask this question: Directly asking for negatives gives insight into the pain points that may have contributed to the employee’s decision to leave.
What to look for in answers: Frequent criticisms about management style, work environment, or unclear expectations can signal urgent issues that need strategic changes.
How were you treated by your manager and team members?
Why ask this question: This question helps assess interpersonal dynamics and whether employees felt respected and supported.
What to look for in answers: Consistent reports of negative interactions or lack of support from leadership may point to the need for immediate training or changes in management practices.
How well do you believe your work was recognized and appreciated?
Why ask this question: Recognition is a critical component of employee satisfaction.
What to look for in answers: If many employees express their efforts were overlooked or undervalued, it may be time to implement or revamp recognition and reward programs.
Do you feel you were given the necessary training and support to carry out your responsibilities?
Why ask this question: Adequate training and support are key to employee success and satisfaction.
What to look for in answers: Feedback indicating insufficient training, mentoring, or resources can be an early warning sign that you need to invest in employee development initiatives.
Sylvain Roy recommends the following as great conversation starters:
- What led you to decide to look for a new opportunity?
- What convinced you to take this new job?
- What will you miss about us?
- If I put you in charge of the department tomorrow, what would be your priority?
- Are there any other topics that haven’t been covered that you’d like to discuss with me?
For Human Resources Manager Wendy Makinson the most important questions to ask are:
- If we could change one thing to support you in staying, what would it be?
- How likely is it that you will return to work for us in the future?
- What are the three best things about working with us?
- What are the three worst things about working with us?
According to her, the last two questions, in particular, can help an organization determine the general working environment for other employees.
Tip: Look for recurring patterns in the responses. These can be critical indicators of urgent issues that require swift action to prevent further turnover and foster a more supportive work environment.
Survey and retain your people with Deel Engage
An exit interview is an avenue for improving businesses and retaining employees. The action points created from this feedback can enhance workplace engagement and build a positive employer brand. Examples of action points you can create are:
- Increasing compensation packages, including equity
- Investing in effective learning and development programs
- Enhancing career progression transparency
- Improving leadership effectiveness
- Introducing remote or hybrid work conditions
- Improving the onboarding process
- Introducing attractive benefits and perks
- Building connections with recurring check-ins and the list can go on and on
Deel Engage, our all-in-one talent management suite, will enable your organization to do all of these and more. Our global platform supports multiple worker types across 150 locations.
Book a demo to learn more from our consultants.
Deel Engage
About the author
Lorelei Trisca is a content marketing manager passionate about everything AI and the future of work. She is always on the hunt for the latest HR trends, fresh statistics, and academic and real-life best practices. She aims to spread the word about creating better employee experiences and helping others grow in their careers.
