Exit Interviews
EM123
3 Posts
I am preparing an article for publication in the Rotary International magazine on exit interviews. The article will cover tips on the how's, the why's, and the benefits and drawbacks of doing an exit interview.
To make the article interesting, I would like to include some tips and interesting/amusing tales from members of HRHERO.COM
If you give permission, I will use them and give you credit; however, if you wish to remain anonymous, I will simply say, "a colleague once told me...". I promise to protect the innocent."
Thank you in advance for your help.
To make the article interesting, I would like to include some tips and interesting/amusing tales from members of HRHERO.COM
If you give permission, I will use them and give you credit; however, if you wish to remain anonymous, I will simply say, "a colleague once told me...". I promise to protect the innocent."
Thank you in advance for your help.
Comments
In my first month in HR I was asked to conduct 2 exit interviews in secret, after hours because the executives didn't want the office manager to know I was doing them (this should tell you what kind of person the office manager was!). These 2 employees had given their 2-week notice that afternoon and had been asked to leave with pay for those 2 weeks because of their position (accounts payable).
After taking the employees out after work and getting about 10 pages of reasons they quit, I brought my findings (again in secret) back to the executives. The next weekend the office manager of 27 years had her little reign of terror ended! Everyone was happy, but prior to the exit interviews everyone was too scared to report anything about the office manager and the execs didn't seem to see what was going on. The office is now a much better place thanks to 2 exit interviews.
My reply, "In your next job, you want to take notice and get along with the older guys. They know everything about the job. Learn from them and respect them because you need them but they do not need you." Anyway, the meeting became an exit interview because of the employee's attitude.
In my generation, most any job you ever started, the other employees put you through your paces to see if you would measure up. It was seen as an unpleasant but necessary thing to go through. Bootcamp if you will. Some younger employees do not share the perception that they need to go through their paces or indeed to do anything to please the other employees or show they can perform.
The idea being that an employee on their way out will be more forthcoming in sharing their thoughts on their employment experience.
My guess is that exit interviews are not widely or consistently conducted and there is probably a reason for that.
One reason may be that a percentage of exiting employees may have an axe to grind and their feedback will be tainted. They will try to use the exit interview to take one last shot at management or preach on their favorite work related complaint.
Another reason exit interviews may not be consistently conducted is the belief that management already knows why the employee is leaving and assumes the employee has communicated any valuable feedback. This is not always true.
Employees may have their own reservations about being totally honest in an exit interview. What will happen to the information? Will I still get a good reference from my employer if I tattle on a bad supervisor or point out a troubling work situation.
In theory, exit interviews are good ideas but I don't think its an accident that they aren't conducted as often as they probably should be.
In another life, I tried to do exit interviews on each employee who wanted to do one. After several with the same compliants/problems, I prepared a written document and went in and talked with the owner/GM on these. I was chastised as being too negative!!! After that I often did them, but didn't tell the executives anything but the positives!!
E Wart