NFIB

Conducting Exit Interviews Can Help Improve Your Small Business
03/ 28/ 2002

When employees leave a small business, the owners seldom conduct exit interviews. Yet most small business owners want to know why an employee is leaving, and if the reason has anything to do with the working conditions, salary, employee politics, staff-management disagreements or other problems.

Exit interviews also provide an excellent opportunity to learn how your company can be improved, and they give you the chance to inform employees about certain legal obligations they may have after leaving. In today's Workshop, Jeffrey Moses discusses what type of questions to ask in an exit interview.

The following list includes questions that can be covered verbally or in a written form for employees to fill out when leaving.

1. What is your central reason for leaving?

2. If the answer to question #1 is salary, would you have considered remaining at the company if your salary had been increased?

3. Do you feel that the working conditions you experienced here were fair and comfortable? Are there any specific suggestions you can make to improve the overall working conditions?

4. Did you experience any specific difficulties while working at the company?

5. Do you feel that you had ample opportunity to advance within the company?

6. Would you consider returning to work here if your circumstances change in the future?

7. Were you contacted by your new employer while still working at the company? What is the name of the new employer?

8. Have you returned all keys, company materials or supplies, customer lists or other confidential documents, credit cards, ID cards and other company-owned property?

9. Are you aware of all confidentiality agreements and contractual obligations that may apply after leaving the company?

While these are good starting points, you'll probably want to include other questions that pertain specifically to the company and industry, as well as any specific responsibilities held by the employee.

When interviewing an employee who was let go, greater emphasis should be put on questions 7 through 9. Do not rely on terminated employees to accurately or fairly answer questions 1 through 5. Their resentment may elicit untruthful, biased answers.

Small Business Sound Off
Does this story hit home?  Share your story with us