Exit interview procedure

We are constantly looking at ways to maintain an experienced and motivated workforce. 

An exit interview should be conducted for:

• employees who leave employment
• those who move to a different post within the organisation

Exit interviews are widely recognised as an important tool in an organisation’s development:

• where an employee is choosing to resign from their post, it is important to know why they are leaving, whether this is leaving the department / unit or the organisation as a whole
• in all cases, it is useful to gain feedback from the employee about their employment with the council

By gathering this information systematically, managers will support improvements in the Council’s recruitment and retention practice. 

Conducting exit interviews will provide an opportunity for departments to:

• ensure best value from resources and reduce costs associated with recruitment and retention
• effectively manage employee turnover
• where applicable, find out where leavers are going and highlight the issues which may influence employees to leave
• address any specific issues raised if appropriate and highlight any changes which may be necessary to maintain a motivated and experienced workforce.
• highlight trends or problems concerning particular management issues which may be raised by employees
• support performance management

When you should conduct an exit interview

For employees who resign / leave their post, the exit interview should be carried out shortly after the employee has officially notified the department of their intention to leave.

In the event of redundancy or other dismissal, the exit interview should be carried out, where practicable, prior to the employee leaving the Council.  Further advice can be obtained if necessary from the HR Portal.

The purpose of the exit interview is to find out why the employee is leaving (if applicable) and to gather information on their views and thoughts about their jobs, department and Council and to inform the future improvement of the recruitment and retention of staff.  The process is not intended to change the employee’s mind if they have chosen to resign. 

Who should conduct the interview

The line manager will normally conduct the exit interview.  It is important for a line manager to do this to explore and understand the reasons why an employee is leaving their team.  The line manager is also best placed to highlight trends or identify and address particular issues relevant to their department.

In the event that a line manager anticipates a particular problem or where the leaver may not wish to meet with their immediate manager, the interview can be carried out by a more senior manager.

How to conduct the exit interview

On notification that an employee will be leaving, the line manager should:

• schedule an exit interview for a mutually convenient time 
• clearly explain the purpose of the interview, how it will be conducted and provide a copy of the policy statement 

The line manager must be objective in receiving and evaluating the information provided during the interview.

In order to maintain consistency, an exit interview form is available and should be used as the framework for the meeting.

In the event that the employee declines the interview, an exit interview form should be completed to that effect.

Exploring the issues

The following outlines some of the reasons or issues which influence employees to leave and provides guidance on the appropriate action for line managers to consider in order to improve the recruitment, selection and retention of staff. 

If the leaver started within the last year (approx) it may be appropriate to determine how the employee viewed the recruitment, selection, appointment and induction processes:

Consider the content of the job advertisement/recruitment details.  Seek the employee’s opinions about the interview itself.  Discuss the induction programme and the training and development offered

Establish whether any issues have been raised through the appraisal process and whether or how these were addressed.

The content of the job itself may be an issue which needs to be explored.  Did the employee feel over-stretched, or had they outgrown the job?  Does the job profile and person specification reflect the actual requirements of the post?

The hours of work may be an issue, particularly if the employee’s circumstances have changed since appointment.  9-5 arrangements may be a difficulty for some employees, whilst shift work may be a problem for others.  Does the department need to explore more flexible / alternative working arrangements for the future?

Discuss any personal and / or professional aspects which have influenced the person to leave, for example morale, relationships with managers, colleagues, other departments, agencies, salary etc. 

If the employee has resigned, or moving to another position within the Council, establish and record that the employee is leaving entirely of their own accord. 

If the employee has resigned but indicates that they are not leaving entirely of their own accord and believe they have been treated unfairly or there are some other significant concerns, it is vital that the manager seeks advice from the HR Portal.

How to close the exit interview

The exit interview should be undertaken in a constructive and supportive manner and leave both the employee and manager with a positive last impression.

The Manager should summarise the contents of the discussion with the employee and ask them to confirm that it is an accurate record of the discussion, and agree on any specific action points. 

The Manager will confirm that the information gathered will be treated in strictest confidence and only shared (on an anonomised basis) with senior management for monitoring purposes. 

The Manager will confirm that the information gathered will not be used in employment references.

Manager’s next steps

The information gathered must be treated in strictest confidence. 

Record On ITrent / submit a ticket on the HR Admin portal

The completed exit interview form to be held on the employee / leaver’s personnel file.

Monitoring

Relevant data will be provided in Management Information provided to DMTs.

Directorate Senior Management Teams should monitor exit interview data for trends and issues and ensure appropriate action is taken.