What is an Exit Interview?
An exit interview is a conversation or questionnaire used to gather feedback from an employee who is leaving an organization. It typically explores why the employee is leaving, what their experience was like, what the company did well, and what could be improved. While an exit interview happens at the end of one person's employment, the information collected can influence the experiences of employees who remain. When companies consistently collect and analyze this feedback, exit interviews can reveal patterns involving management, compensation, workload, career development, workplace culture, and other factors affecting employee retention.
Table of Contents
Purpose of an Exit Interview
How Does an Exit Interview Work?
What Should You Say During an Exit Interview?
Are Exit Interviews Confidential?
Exit Interview vs. Exit Survey
Do You Have to Participate in an Exit Interview?
Who Should Conduct an Exit Interview?
Purpose of an Exit Interview
The main purpose of an exit interview is to understand an employee's experience and learn why they are leaving. Employees who are departing may be willing to provide perspectives they did not share while actively employed. That can give HR and company leadership additional insight into workplace issues that may otherwise be difficult to identify. Exit interviews can help company leadership understand why employees leave, identify recurring workplace concerns, gather feedback about managers and leadership, and find opportunities to strengthen workplace culture.
How Does an Exit Interview Work?
An exit interview typically takes place shortly before an employee's last day, although some employers may conduct follow-up surveys or conversations after the person has left. A member of HR commonly conducts the interview rather than the employee's direct supervisor. This can create more distance between the employee and their manager and may make it easier for the departing employee to give candid feedback. SHRM recommends having HR or another designated representative conduct the conversation when possible.
What Should You Say During an Exit Interview?
For employees, the best approach is generally to be specific, professional, and constructive. Employees can discuss both positive and negative experiences, including what made the role enjoyable, what created frustration, whether they felt supported, and whether they had opportunities to develop. An exit interview doesn't need to become a detailed list of every frustration someone experienced during their employment. The most useful feedback usually focuses on recurring or meaningful issues.
Are Exit Interviews Confidential?
Employees should not automatically assume that everything said during an exit interview will remain completely confidential. Organizations may try to limit who has access to individual responses, but HR may need to share certain information when concerns require investigation or action. For example, if an employee reports serious harassment or another workplace issue, HR may need to escalate the concern rather than simply record it anonymously.
Exit Interview vs. Exit Survey
An exit interview typically involves a conversation between the departing employee and someone representing the organization, while an exit survey collects feedback through a written or digital questionnaire.
Do You Have to Participate in an Exit Interview?
Exit interview practices vary by employer, employment agreement, workplace policy, and jurisdiction. Employees who are invited to participate can ask whether the interview is voluntary, how their responses will be used, and who will have access to the information. Similarly, employers should establish consistent procedures for when exit interviews are offered and how responses are handled. For questions involving specific employment rights or legal requirements, organizations should consult qualified employment counsel.
Who Should Conduct an Exit Interview?
HR representatives, people operations teams, employee relations professionals, designated managers outside the employee's direct reporting line, or third-party providers should conduct an exit interview. Having the employee's direct manager conduct the conversation may make it harder to gather honest feedback, particularly when the manager is part of the reason the employee is leaving.
