Feedback can fuel your small business growth. Knowing what’s going well and where to improve is key to long-term success—and your employees have the insights. But many people will hold back critiques while they still work for you. Why speak openly if it could put their job at risk?
That’s why exit interviews are so valuable. With nothing left to gain or lose, departing employees tend to open up. Their filters come off and they finally express that honest employee feedback you need to hear. This transforms goodbyes into growth opportunities.
Ready to get game-changing insights? We share the secrets to making the most of these goodbye chats.
The basics of exit interviews for small businesses
Exit interviews are final one-on-one chats with employees leaving your company. They’re not just any conversation, though. This is a structured talk where you ask specific questions to learn from the employee’s time at your business.
For a small business, this unfiltered feedback is pure gold. You gain insider insights on improving the company culture, processes, tools, and policies going forward. It’s also a great way to understand factors affecting employee retention and engagement over time.
When companies conduct exit interviews, it helps them:
- Learn the true reasons valued people quit
- Find gaps in training, resources, or support
- Discover which perks and benefits matter most
- Gain insight into company culture problems
- Uncover potential work environment issues
- Receive honest feedback about management
- Pinpoint broken processes that frustrate staff
- Get practical ideas for development opportunities
- Identify outdated tools and technology
In short, the candid experiences of your employees gleaned from exit interviews can help your small company improve. You can really make these chats count by listening closely to what every departing employee has to say.
Optimal timing for conducting exit interviews
When’s the ideal time to schedule exit interviews with current employees? The sweet spot is typically their last 1-2 weeks at your small business. The closer to the last day, the better. This ensures details are fresh before they move on to their new job.
Timing matters greatly because you want employees to open up freely with honest feedback. If you schedule the exit interview too early, they may hold back as they are still wrapped up in the job. Waiting too long comes with the risk that they’ve checked out mentally and moved on from thinking about their time with your company.
The length of the meeting matters as well. Be sure to allow enough time for a rich discussion. A short 5-minute chat just won’t cut it for structured exit interviews. Ideally, schedule at least 30-45 focused minutes for a relaxed, 2-way dialogue about the employee’s departure.
Top exit interview questions to ask departing employees
Now that you’ve set up a well-timed exit interview, what should you ask? The questions make all the difference, so have a list prepared beforehand.
Start by encouraging your soon-to-be-former employees to speak freely in their own words. Then, use prompts like:
- What motivated you to join our company originally?
- What did you enjoy most about your time working here?
- Why exactly are you deciding to move on from our team?
- If you could improve one thing, what would it be?
- What did you think about your employee-manager relationship?
- Did any inefficient tools, policies, or procedures hinder your work?
- Were you getting enough mentorship and training opportunities?
- Do you feel our workplace culture needs any changes?
- Would you recommend our company to others as a good place to work?
- Do you have any suggestions for future employees who will fill your role?
Finish by asking if there’s anything else they’d like to add. This open-ended question allows the employee to bring up any other topics on their mind.
Reasons to avoid using an exit interview template
While using a pre-written exit interview template is tempting, cookie-cutter questionnaires may hinder more than help. Stock exit interview questions aren’t tailored enough. They can cause you to overlook follow-up questions specific to the employee and role.
Preset question lists may also feel stiff and impersonal to the departing employee. This prevents them from opening up as honestly as they would in a more casual conversation. The rigidity might even prevent you from asking deeper questions and gaining insights in the moment.
Instead of a one-size-fits-all formula, create a unique list of questions for each chat. Personalize it by adding prompts that relate to the employee’s role and responsibilities. Then, customize the tone using the person’s name and referencing their contributions to your company.
Tips for getting constructive feedback during exit interviews
Exit interviews are a goldmine for constructive feedback, but you must take the right approach to gain valuable insights. It goes beyond asking the right questions to creating an environment where candid conversations flow freely. Explore the following tips to learn how to encourage openness and gather more honest feedback.
Prepare exit interview questions for positive and negative feedback
A positive and negative feedback loop is a surefire path to sustained business growth. This variety of insights gives you a well-rounded view of your company’s strengths and weaknesses. Positive feedback highlights what you should continue doing, while negative remarks uncover issues standing in the way of your success.
To encourage this balance, avoid leading questions that push employees to respond a certain way. Instead, ask unbiased, open-ended questions that invite them to share their thoughts freely. Also, make it clear that you’re looking for honest, constructive feedback above all else.
Have HR or second-line managers handle the exit interview process
Exit interviews work best when held by someone outside the team, such as an HR professional or second-line manager. Workers might not want to share openly with their direct boss. They may worry about leaving on bad terms or causing discomfort in their final days on the job.
An HR manager is a solid choice for these interviews because they’re trained to handle sensitive conversations. They know how to ask questions that get to the heart of the employee’s experience while keeping things confidential. They can ensure the employee feels heard and that their feedback is taken seriously.
Second-line managers are also a great option. They usually understand the employee’s role well but aren’t as closely involved as a direct supervisor. This can make the employee feel more relaxed and open to sharing their true thoughts and feelings.
Create a comfortable space to enable an honest discussion
Creating a welcoming space sets the tone for the exit interview, influencing how employees feel about sharing openly. Ideally, you’ll want to find a private, quiet space with no distractions, like a private office or conference room.
Set up the room to enable eye contact and close listening by placing comfortable chairs at angles slightly facing each other. Avoid having a desk or other physical barriers in between to make the space feel less formal and encourage casual conversation. Also, consider offering refreshments to increase employee engagement and help them feel at ease.
Listen carefully without interruption and watch their body language
Exit interview hosts can gain the most insights by paying close attention to what the former employee is and isn’t saying. That means listening carefully to what they share without interrupting and watching their body language at the same time.
When asking exit interview questions, allow ample pauses for the employee to gather their thoughts before responding. Nod, smile, and use brief verbal cues like “Go on…” to encourage them to expand on what they’re saying.
Observe facial expressions and gestures to understand their emotions better. Be mindful of signs like crossed arms or tense smiles that show the employee’s discomfort. And be sure to look for positive signs, like leaning in, that show openness and engagement.
Encourage specific examples to understand the feedback better
For the best exit interview data, push past general statements by pressing for real-world examples. This helps to better understand the context and details behind their comments.
When an employee mentions a general observation, gently prompt them to give a particular example from their workday. For example, if they mention issues with team dynamics, ask them to tell you a time when conflict prevented good teamwork.
Take note of the examples to identify patterns in other exit interviews. If multiple departing employees share similar stories, it may point to a widespread issue that needs addressing.
Ask follow-up questions to ensure a thorough understanding
Asking follow-up questions ensures that you fully understand the feedback shared in exit interviews. Help employees feel comfortable letting their guard down by gently asking for clarification rather than demanding it.
Start by paraphrasing what you heard to confirm that you grasp what the employee means with their comment. Ask them to confirm or clarify by offering additional details. You may need to ask several questions to get the whole story.
Also, explore when issues began and how they impacted the employee’s work over time. Each question gets you closer to seeing the big picture and full scope of the employee’s experience. For instance, if they mention feeling overwhelmed, ask when they first felt this way and what factors contributed. This can reveal underlying issues like poor workload management.
End the exit interview on a positive note with a grateful farewell
A grateful farewell can go a long way in reinforcing a positive company culture and encouraging future collaborations. So, at the end of the exit interview, state the value of their feedback and assure them you’ll use it to make meaningful improvements.
After that, take the time to thank the employee for their contributions to your company. Be specific in your examples, so they know you’ve paid attention to their hard work. Then, express your best wishes for their future endeavors and hope for their success.
Before saying goodbye, offer to stay in touch if appropriate. Provide a business card or another way to contact you to keep the door open for future communication.
Gain valuable insight from each employee exit interview
Saying goodbye is hard, but each farewell to former employees is a chance to learn about your business through exit interviews. These final chats offer unique insights on refining your practices, improving your workplace, and strengthening your team. So, don’t miss out on those key insights. Start making these interviews a regular part of your process. They’re a key step in growing and improving your business, turning every goodbye into a valuable lesson for the future.