Why you should revamp your exit interviews

Retaining great employees, maintaining a positive reputation and improving upon current protocols are all imperative for the success of your business. Conducting meaningful exit interviews with employees who are either resigning or being terminated is a good way to help with these efforts. You can learn a lot from your employees, so don't underestimate the importance of a good exit interview.

According to a survey of 210 companies by the Harvard Business Review, 75% of employers conduct some kind of exit interview with their employees. While most organizations may enforce a final meeting with parting workers, how many of them actually glean value from the process?

Here are some reasons why you should consider reassessing and revamping your exit interviews:

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Part with employees on good terms

If an employee is moving onto another opportunity, make sure the exit interview is as positive as possible. You want them to feel good about the work they did for you. Compliment them on their successes and point to specific times where they impressed you while on the job.

"I am tremendously proud that many of our former employees have moved into some of the most innovative and elite companies in the nation," says Rebecca Wright, Senior Regional Director for Beacon Hill's Associates Division. "We focus time and attention on each employee's exit experience, and in turn, those former staff members have introduced us to their new networks. Your outgoing employee can become your best client."

Ending the meeting on good terms will increase the likelihood of them wanting to work for you again in the future, while decreasing the likelihood of them saying bad things to others about you as an employer. Angry ex-employees tend to post negative statements online. Enough negative reviews can seriously damage your company's reputation, making it difficult to hire and retain good talent.

Gather key information for replacements

The exit interview is a prime opportunity to learn about the good and bad aspects of a specific position at your company. After all, nobody will be able to explain the day-to-day functions of the job better than the one who's currently doing it.

What are the hardest parts of the job? Which duties are the least important? How could this job be made easier? These are all questions you should ask the employee during their exit interview. Not only will it help you reassess the responsibilities of that position, but it'll also help you efficiently onboard and train that employee's replacement.

Discover ways to improve internal systems

Getting feedback should be your main goal when conducting exit interviews. You should be aiming to find flaws in your current systems so that you can make improvements. This will minimize frustration among future employees and prevent them from leaving in the first place.

Here are a few tips to conducting a meaningful exit interview:

• Ask lots of questions
• Create a comfortable environment
• Pay close attention
• Remind them that you'll keep their statements and opinions private

Want to learn more about conducting a good exit interview? Professional recruiters at Beacon Hill are here to help!