To think exit interviews are pointless

[Covidbegone]

Just this really. I work on a team of 15 and in the last year 7 have moved on, and tbh the atmosphere has become quite rubbish. I know that nearly all gave mild reasons to leave the team (which privately I’ve been given different reasons) and ultimately I don’t think they’d tell the truth in the event that they annoyed the team leader and damage their reference, or make them seem bitter to their new employer if they were honest about why they wanted to move on. I’m not going to comment on what I do, but wondered if others found this too?

I agree - completely pointless

It depends, really. Is the company doing it as a box ticking exercise? Where i work, one of the reasons i took the job, after a very long time at my previous place, was the fact that everyone in the team i was joining had been there at least 10 years and that was fairly representative of the company.

Since joining we have expanded rapidly, it is a good job, stable company and good money. But lots of the younger ones who joined either with me or after me are leaving. I'd say we've lost 50% of the under 35s who have joined. They don't like the team culture, and our boss is what you could describe as "robust". But nobody has said this at an exit interview until now. Someone who joined at the same time as me said it clearly and plainly, and that several others had left for the same reason but didn't feel able to say it.

And now? There is a bit of a panic going on. And if/when i leave (hopefully very soon) i will be adding my voice to the chorus about a) this boss and b) the very much "for appearances only" aspects of some of our company culture.

Yep. Employers only bother having them with employees that they know won’t say anything bad. Employees who haven’t already made clear that they’d say something bad don’t want to damage a reference or upset people.

I'm in a job with high staff turnover.

Of two that left in the last year, one gave a mild account of the issue on their exit interview. The second person didnt hold back and went into a long list of issues in detail.

I agree with you. I'll never tell the truth.

The second person didnt hold back and went into a long list of issues in detail.

did anything change? I can imagine with my lot that they may change the recruiting process a bit. I did get an email today regarding changes we may like to see, how we wish management to communicate with us, how often and via what medium. I'm not holding my breath

Depends on the management culture.
In my work they really want to know, don't retaliate negatively and try to take on any lessons from it. Everyone knows that so they get honest valuable information from it.
Other places it's a tick box exercise and a waste of time.

I don't think they are pointless, as long as they are done correctly. I worked in the private sector, where they were common.

In the public sector, where I am now, they're not done and it's a pity.

The key is making them structured with clear expectations on each person. It's not a forum for the departee to air every grievance. It's collating feedback and experience at certain point, which may inform future planning.

I absolutely get people giving mild answers, but it's possible to be honest, professional & clear.

Agree completely with this.

Yeah we have seen some changes. Staff turnover is so high that they had to listen and try to change.

well we've had another outburst by our team leader. Will be interesting to see who resigns next :(

Tell them you don't want one and you have already written a letter to head office. They shit themselves .

Exit interviews themselves are massively valuable if the company cares - if they don't they're a waste of time.

Similar in my old team op started at 12 (8 left within a year) and new employees were on temp fixed term contracts, who came and went quite a lot.

At my exit interview they asked why I was leaving made some bull shit up about going up the ladder (funnily enough the other person doing my job has now been promoted after they made noises about leaving 🙄)

I know I’ve made the right decision however I did love my old job just not the corporate bullshit and lack of progression

As others have said it depends on the company/organisation and the culture. The company should be using it as an opportunity to reflect and for it to serve as a warning about possible problems and to enable them to do better.

I think it depends too on the person doing the interview - if its the immediate line manager it can feel hard to be truthful, if its someone else in the team / hr person it can be easier to outline the issues as it doesnt feel like a direct criticism of the person involced.

Best exit interview I had was with an HR person who I got on well with where I was able to outline concerns about (a rather controlling) line manager and also I was able to show her the job descriptions of the roles I had been applying for. She listened and when I saw her informally six months later she thanked me as my input had strengthened a case against the line manager who had been 'managed out' in a restructuring.

I’d want to know your concerns. Work for a big company (20k employees) and the comments could shine a light on an individual or area that needed attention.

I had an exit interview once.

I worked in a school and the exit interview was with the line manager that was such an incompetent, nasty bitch that I handed in my notice after 6 months.

I was very honest with her and told her I was leaving because of her and her inability to do her job correctly. That she had made me miserable, constantly changing my job description and duties and making me do things I couldn’t do without infringing on my actual job and then reprimanding me for it.

She tried to change the good reference she had given me a few days previously for my new job. Totally retraced it and gave a really vile, rubbish one making me out to be the devil.

Luckily, I was going back to the job I had left for the school (care work, they are always desperate for anyone so bit my hand off when I wanted my old job back 😂), my old boss called me and said, “wow, so what happened? They suddenly hate you!” She found it hilarious that she had thrown such a strop.

(I was totally justified - this school business manager started at the same time as me, since I left that job, no one has stayed in it longer than two terms.)

Most companies just pay lip service, lets face it is rare to find one that really wants to know. Its like good managers, a rare breed.

Exit interviews only benefit the employer, not the employee - unless you think you might want to go back at some point, any changes you might provoke won’t benefit you. If you can, refuse to do one. If you can’t, say nothing useful. Companies should come up with better ways of getting honest and useful feedback to prevent good staff leaving, not wringing their hands when they leave.

I do them my team when they leave and have made changes based on their feedback. The company does do them as a whole, which I think is a mistake. I have sent feedback up to my manager and to the HR team as well.

I worked in a charity once where someone didn't hold back when they left and there was a disciplinary interview for the manager named.

I think they could be useful if (1) employer learns that lots of employees are leaving for the same reason eg more money, better career progression, better shift pattern, part time hours, or the option to work from home / preferring to be in an office etc and (2) the employer might be able and willing to address those issues

Otherwise, probably a waste of time

Also, could be helpful if the employee is retiring and can speak freely as they're not bothered about getting a reference in future

The company I left to join my present one arranged an exit interview for my last day. Made a big thing about it. My immediate Manager didn't want to travel down from the North to their London office so got the Sales Director to do it. (I wasn't in Sales).

Being the sort to not shit on anyone taking over my workload, when he approached me to do the meeting I asked for a few more minutes to finish something. Nope, he had to do it then as other appointments.

I was there over five years. My exit interview lasted seven minutes! Wasn't interested in why I was leaving, just box-ticking. Although, when we met up a few months later (still same industry) he said he had wished he'd asked as the division went to pot after Not saying I was important, only I was the only one who knew the role.

Oh, and his next appointment? The pub....where we went for my leaving drink.

Me too - I refuse to do them.

Totally. In mine I gave an honest account of the horrendous and bordering on corrupt behaviour of management and staff. It was a really stressful and painful hour and I'd hoped something may change for those left behind. From what I can see it's probably even worse there now