Dubai: More companies around the world are striving to do exit interviews because they know there is much to be learned from a leaving staff member.
If done efficiently, exit interviews can help the organisation gather fact-based information which will serve as basis for improving the work culture and prevent further attrition.
Johnson Alexander of Dulsco advised that it is important to conduct the exit survey in a fair and constructive manner. “The HR [human resources] team will have to be active listeners and it is important to let some exiting employees vent out their negative feelings,” he said. Once the employee opens up, the interviewer can probe further and gather some suggestions for improvement.
“Exit interviews can be awkward to both employees and employers for the obvious reasons. However, if done efficiently, they can be a great source of intelligence over an ‘employer brand’ in the market,” said Sebastien Stark of Talent2.
Stark said exit interviews can provide important feedback and establish trends, thereby helping the company perform better. “The can help improve current state of affairs within a business, from quality of management, company policies and even help uncover potential legal liabilities to name a few,” he said.
“Ultimately, they can help improve employee retention, as attrition can be a real financial burden to any organisation.”
To encourage “an honest and objective exchange” Stark said the company should aim to keep exit interviews confidential.
If there are things discussed that need to be shared within the organisation for betterment purposes, the interviewer should inform the departing staff member, in the interest of transparency and to protect the company against any future legal action.
