The name of this blog comes from our mission at INFLUENCE: “To empower people with clarity and confidence.”
Our objective is to provide brief but meaningful topics (under 500 words) that inspire, educate and empower leaders through resources both inside and outside of INFLUENCE. This week’s edition is provided by David Salmons.
Recouping the costs of hiring and training a new employee can take over 6 months of employee productivity. Yet some sources indicate that almost a third of employees, seeking greener pastures, are leaving their jobs within the first 6 months, while many are leaving within the first 3 months.
Even the best employees are increasingly mobile. That is, while highly engaged, high-performance employees may be more productive than average, current numbers indicate they’re only slightly less likely to leave within the first 6 months.
Certainly, initiatives intended to keep employees satisfied are important, but only so much can be done to compete with greener pastures that may or may not exist. Some employers, recognizing the hiring dynamic for what it is, are adjusting to fickle employees by turning goodbyes into value conversations.
Specifically, they design exit interviews to learn as much as possible about employee perceptions AND to emphasize a “we value you” tone. This acknowledges that while the grass may appear greener to the employee now, it often isn’t; and if your organization really does have a good culture, there’s a chance they’ll be back to stay.
Along these lines, Indeed, the online job search platform, suggests a variety of questions to help employers learn about employee perceptions and expectations as they head out the door. As you can see, these questions showcase a positive tone and value the employee’s efforts and perspective. Paraphrased, they are:
- What prompted you to begin searching for another opportunity?
- What did you like best and least about your job?
- Do you think your job has changed since you were hired?
- Did you feel your achievements were recognized throughout your employment?
- What suggestions do you have for the company? How could we improve?
- If there were concerns, did you share them before deciding to leave? Are values involved? Can you give a specific example?
- Is there anything that would have changed your mind about leaving?
- Would you recommend our company to a friend, or consider working here in the future yourself? Why or why not?
In conclusion, a good exit interview provides helpful information for the employer, a chance to be heard for the employee, and one more opportunity for organizational leadership to showcase a culture of value and respect. When done well, these interviews are remembered, and employees can and do sometimes return a little wiser for their journey.