Most employees won’t share their full thoughts with their company when they leave—unless you ask in the right way. Exit interviews can help, but not everyone feels comfortable speaking candidly in person, especially when they just want to leave on good terms.
So, what’s the answer? A well-timed exit survey email. It’s an easy, low-pressure way for people to say what went well (or didn’t) during their time with your company. And because responses are often anonymous, you can get real feedback to improve things for your existing team and future workforce.
But that won’t happen if your survey email misses the mark. If it’s too stiff or insincere or feels like an afterthought, you’ll get rushed answers, or worse, no response at all. The trick is to make your email survey clear, thoughtful, and easy to complete. Here’s how to do that.
Exit survey email basics
An exit survey email is just a quick way to get constructive feedback from employees leaving your company. You send them some questions by email, and they can answer honestly without the awkwardness of saying things face-to-face.
Deciding what to ask each employee is totally up to you and your company’s needs. You might focus on the reasons they’re leaving if you’re seeing higher turnover lately. Or you could go broader and ask about their entire experience from onboarding to exit. It all comes down to what information would help your company the most right now.
No matter what you want to ask, mix rating scales (like “Rate your satisfaction from 1-5”) with open-ended questions that let people explain their thoughts. For example, you might ask your former employee to rate their relationship with their manager, then follow up with “What could your manager have done differently?”
As for timing, you’ve got options. Some companies send the exit survey right after an in-person exit interview to catch anything the person didn’t feel comfortable saying out loud. Others choose to send an exit interview survey rather than sit down for a formal meeting. If you go that route, consider sending the email about a week after the employee’s last workday.
The value behind every exit interview email
Every time an employee leaves your company, it’s an opportunity to listen and improve. A quick survey email provides the unfiltered truth you need to make real changes. Put this feedback to work and you’ll:
- Spend less time and money replacing valuable employees
- Retain knowledge that would otherwise walk out the door
- Keep projects running smoothly with fewer unexpected exits
- Boost team morale by showing employees that their voices matter
- Spot leadership issues before they affect more people
- Stay competitive by learning what others are offering your talent
- Strengthen your employer brand through more positive offboarding experiences
All this from a 5-minute email that costs you nothing but pays back for years. It’s one of the easiest, most valuable steps you can take to build a stronger, more resilient workplace.
Key topics you could cover in your exit survey email
Setting up an exit survey is easier than you might think. You can create a survey for free using Mailchimp’s survey tools or a simple Google Form. Once you’ve picked your platform, the real work is deciding what questions to ask. Here are some key areas worth considering.
Reason for leaving
Knowing the “why” behind departures is the first step to fixing what’s not working. It helps you get ahead of recurring issues before they cause more people to walk out the door.
Questions to ask:
- What was the main reason you decided to leave? (Multiple choice: better opportunity, pay, work-life balance, career growth, management, etc.)
- If that specific issue had been addressed, how likely is it that you would have stayed? (Scale of 1-5.)
- Was there a specific moment that made you start thinking about leaving? What happened? (Open-ended.)
Role and responsibilities
When the job doesn’t match what someone expected, frustration builds—sometimes enough to make talented people walk away. Understanding where things don’t match up helps you explain roles more clearly and keep people longer.
Questions to ask:
- How well did your responsibilities match what was described when you were hired? (Scale of 1-5.)
- Were there any tasks that felt outside your role or unclear? (Open-ended.)
- Did you feel your skills were being used effectively in this position? (Yes/no with an optional comment.)
Pay and benefits package
Fair compensation plays a big role in your employees’ overall job satisfaction. Responses here can help you evaluate if your pay and benefits meet expectations.
Questions to ask:
- How satisfied were you with your overall compensation and benefits? (Scale of 1-5.)
- Did you feel your pay fairly reflected the work you did? (Yes/no with an optional comment.)
- Are there any benefits you think should be added or improved? (Open-ended.)
Team dynamics
Strong teams can improve retention, while unhealthy team dynamics often push people out. Insights here reveal how well people worked together, if they felt supported, and whether team-building activities might help.
Questions to ask:
- How well did your team work together? (Scale of 1-5.)
- Did you feel included and supported by your teammates? (Yes/no with an optional comment.)
- What could have improved your experience working with your team? (Open-ended.)
Manager relationship
Even strong teams can lose people if the leadership style isn’t a good fit. Asking about manager relationships can reveal whether employees feel supported and heard and like they’re treated fairly.
Questions to ask:
- How supported did you feel by your manager? (Scale of 1-5.)
- Did your manager help you grow and succeed in your role? (Yes/no with an optional comment.)
- Is there anything your manager could have done differently? (Open-ended.)
Training and development
When people don’t feel like they’re moving forward, they often start looking for better career opportunities. This section helps you see if your company provided the employee training and support your employees needed in order to grow.
Questions to ask:
- Did you receive the training you needed to do your job well? (Scale of 1-5.)
- Were there clear paths for growth or advancement? (Yes/no with an optional comment.)
- What kind of development opportunities would have helped you more? (Open-ended.)
Company culture
Culture gaps become obvious in exit surveys long before leadership notices. By directly asking about the company culture, you get to see precisely where your ideals and reality don’t match.
Questions to ask:
- How well did our company culture match your expectations? (Scale of 1-5.)
- What aspects of the culture did you appreciate most? (Open-ended.)
- Was there anything about the culture that made it hard to do your job well? (Open-ended.)
Plug-and-play exit interview email template
Your survey deserves a proper intro. Customize this exit interview email template to share your survey link, whether you’ve conducted an in-person interview or not.
Subject: We’d Appreciate Your Feedback
Hi [Name],
Thanks again for your time and contributions while you were with [Company Name]. You were an integral part of your team, and we truly appreciated having you with us. As part of our ongoing effort to improve the employee experience, we’d love to hear your thoughts.
We’ve put together a short survey that should only take about 5 minutes. Your responses will help us understand what’s working, what needs attention, and how we can do better for future team members.
[Insert survey link here]
Your feedback is completely confidential and optional, but it really helps us grow.
Thanks again, and we wish you all the best in your future endeavors.
Best wishes, [Your Name] [Job Title]
Tips for exit survey email success
Even the best survey won’t help improve your business if no one fills it out. The way you send your exit survey makes a big difference in whether people respond. Use these simple tips to encourage more departing employees to share their feedback.
Personalize the greeting
A generic “Dear Valued Employee” tells the recipient that this is just another HR formality. Instead, use their first name and mention their role or team. Taking this step shows you actually value what they have to say and invites them to share their employment experience more openly.
Use an exit email survey link
Nobody wants to download attachments or reply to a long email with questions. A simple survey link makes it quick and easy to respond on any device. Plus, all the answers stay in one place, which makes things easier for you, too.
Explain who sees the feedback
Be straight about who gets to see the survey responses. Will it stay anonymous? Does the team lead get to read it? Will you share patterns with the whole company? Knowing exactly who will see their feedback encourages honesty and helps people feel safer sharing their real reasons for leaving.
Send surveys automatically
Let technology handle your survey timing. Tools like Mailchimp can automatically send surveys a week after someone’s last day. If you don’t hear back, these systems can also send a friendly reminder. Keep it to just one follow-up so former employees don’t feel badgered for feedback on their way out.
Key takeaways
- Turn goodbyes into insights: Exit surveys help you learn from every departure, improving your company for your current team and future new hires.
- Mix questions strategically: Use a mix of question types to cover things like why the employee left, how closely the job matched expectations, and what could have been better.
- Time your emails right: Either send the survey email immediately after the exit interview or about a week after the employee’s last day with your company.
- Keep it brief and simple: To encourage more responses, add a link to a simple 5-minute survey rather than place the questions in the email body.
- Be clear about privacy: Let former employees know if their feedback is anonymous and who has access to it, so they feel more comfortable sharing openly.