We all are familiar with interviews. They evaluate whether a particular person is suitable for a job position and is an indispensable part of hiring. Have you heard about exit interviews? It is an emerging new trend which is a fast becoming an integral part of many organizations.
So what exactly is an exit interview? It is an interview conducted with an employee who is leaving your organization. Most likely his manager or somebody from the HR department conducts the Interview. Mostly, participating in an exit interview is voluntary. Do not force the employee to give an exit interview as a matter of policy.
Sometimes the person concerned would like his details to be anonymous. Some people might prefer a questionnaire to a live interview. An exit interview should be conducted fairly without bias. You are not aiming to annoy or take revenge as the person is leaving the organization.
As a HR/manager, you are trying to find out why employees in general want to leave your organization. Exit interviews are the perfect opportunity to elicit responses considering the flaws in the organizations and focus on improving the organization's ability to retain quality employees. It is understandable that a current employ would not be forth coming about the faults in the organization, policies and processes as it might pose a danger to his job.
However, if he is leaving the organization he is more likely to be open and eloquent about the short comings and areas of improvement for the company. Most employees imbibe a great deal of knowledge during their stint with their organization. As the result of their leaving, valuable know-how is irretrievably lost. Make sure that the person replacing him participates in the interview. This way a knowledge transfer is affected paving the way for improving and sustaining the organization.
Questions to ask during this interview are available widely on the Internet. Be general rather than specific, use open-ended question more than close-ended questions. Be patient and listen more than questioning. Come away from the exit interview leaving a favorable impression on the departing employee.
Exit interviews are a valuable tool to obtain constructive criticism of the firm and hence is a vital cog of all organization's policies.