Best Amazon Prime Day deals: Mumsnet favourites

Best Amazon Prime Day deals:
Mumsnet favourites

Shop now

Please or to access all these features

Work

Chat with other users about all things related to working life on our Work forum.

I don't want to complete a blooming exit questionnaire/interview!

42 replies

Spinningdinos · 10/06/2026 18:21

I'm being made redundant next month. Have worked for a small charity (less than 10 people) for nearly a decade and I'd say for the last 3 years I've been openly saying in reports to directors and senior management that the department isn't financially viable in its current form. I've kept meticulous records, have rewritten policies and procedures to try and make the role work, worked for free (my choice), made suggestions about alternative structures and ways it could move forward even though realistically the changes would mean downgrading the role and at that point it wouldn't work for me from a time/money perspective anymore. I've got it as good as I could but especially in the current economic climate, it isn't working. It's been a lovely job and I didn't want to quit, but it's felt that a restructure has been on the cards for ages for good of the charities long term interests. Now that the department is set up and running they could have part time, cheaper people running it and it'll be more viable financially. I've been so certain this day was coming I've been steadily writing a handover document for the last few years to be sure I captured everything in the role ready for whoever takes over.

A couple of months ago they engaged an external company to look at the role descriptions etc, basically a very cloak and dagger restructure process began but noone would call it that. During this time the senior team completely changed their behaviour to the staff, stopped being open and friendly etc (We used to have team meetings where we'd talk about the weekend, update on family life etc and it all stopped and became very professional and perfunctory).

During the process the external team called into question my loyalty to the company, my ability to do the job and basically asked me several times to justify my presence. I openly said that I thought it was in the charities best interests to be restructuring and that the questions were confusing me as there's written evidence going back years of my opinions on it. It got ugly and uncomfortable. I tried to distance myself from it and tell myself there are just procedures and boxes to tick and it isn't personal but some of the things they said blooming felt personal (like I'd organised the calendar to suit my own social life rather than the good of the company, most of the team are part time working parents so it's completely common for people not to book things during the holidays for example, but it was made to sound like it was just me and I'd done it to be lazy and take advantage). They were SO rude, but the worst part of it all was my manager being unable to even look me in the eye or speak to me afterwards. They've announced a new role (surprisingly the one I had previously suggested) and I accepted redundancy. But the way it was handled has left a bitter taste and I can't wait to leave which is a shame because I have genuinely loved working there up until the last year or so.

The general manager and lead director are now asking me to complete an exit questionnaire, with an interview on my last day, with one of the team from the external HR company. Have looked through it and the questions have made me see red. I have already answered them in various guises, reports, emails, meetings etc for years. There's no question in there they don't already have an answer to. It's a generic, box ticking bullshit form and the interview will be similar. I don't want to waste another moment of my time on it or spend another moment in the presence of the HR 'professionals'.

If my boss/the HR team had treated me with the openness, honesty and respect I've treated the company with I'd be more than happy to continue being helpful, but at this point I don't feel like I owe them a scrap of anything and am not in the mood to be of any further help.

TLDR: Am being made redundant after an ugly restructure. Can they make me complete an exit questionnaire and interview or can I refuse to cooperate?

OP posts:
Tooobvious · 10/06/2026 23:51

Say no and tell them exactly why (keeping it objective and polite). Write all this down, much as you’ve written it here, and send copies to everyone involved, in the hope that it will make them think twice about how they treat people in the future.

I hope you find a new role where you are appreciated.

Lovingbooks · 11/06/2026 09:08

Exit interviews are optional. No you don’t have to say anything or do this. Really fail to see the point of one when they are making you redundant just leave on your last day without too much fuss.

Flatandhappy · 11/06/2026 09:18

Just say no. No reasons, no justifications, no consequences.

Shedmistress · 11/06/2026 09:23

I'd probably not only say 'nope' but I'd probably delete all the handovers I'd spent years creating just to fuck them off. Or hide them in folders in folders in folders that someone might find in 5 years.

GreatOffWhiteFalcon · 11/06/2026 09:25

What a depressing situation. Time to move on.

KateSixer · 11/06/2026 09:30

A lot of charities are very unprofessional employers.

Also a lot of charity manager level folk are absolute dunderheads or worse who frequently can't cut it in any other job.

It's a real shame since as the OP says many ordinary employees in charities are very highly motivated.

Of course not every charity or charity manager is like this but a distressing number are. Large enough so that the OPs story is not unfortunately unique.

Best wishes OP.

MimiGC · 11/06/2026 09:38

Decline the exit interview. Cut and paste your opening post into an email and send it as you walk out of the door on your last day.

Poppingby · 11/06/2026 09:45

I'd write a letter to your managers and any trustees of the charity - especially if they're famous - saying what you've said here and explaining why you're not doing the exit interview. And not do the exit interview.

Spinningdinos · 11/06/2026 09:57

@Poppingby definitely not famous. It's a tiny little local project which has been a joy to be a part of for the most part. It came at a time in my life where I wanted a flexible role with tangible/visible results which was actually making a difference to my community. It offered all this and more. Has had lots of lovely perks to it which is what made me happy to be an 'above and beyond' kind of employee.

My experience prior to the this situation is that it wasn't hierarchical, more like a group of like-minded people coming together who all wanted what was best for the project you know? So the change in culture/behaviour when an external HR company came in (I appreciate what someone else said about this being a waste of money, but ordinarily we don't have any official HR people, we just manage, so for something like this I can understand the manager wanting guidance on the 'right way' to do things as there are a lot of legalities to restructuring and redundancy as far as I know. Not that I'd say it was done 'right' but that's my jaded opinion!) was something of a shock to the system. The exit interview feels like more of the same, like a generic box ticking exercise. The questions are broad and vague 'why are you leaving' type things, questions about my induction (I didn't have one as I was one of the original employees and we were making it up as we went along!) or questions I've been asked in annual appraisals where the answer never changes.

I don't particularly want to burn bridges. But I do think I've reached my limit with completing things which don't seem to be worth the time or effort.

OP posts:
Lovingbooks · 11/06/2026 10:24

Small employers even a charity often do outsource to professionals. You’re role in the charity sounds a little ill defined. Your were employed but also did lwork for free (which can muddy the waters) You won’t burn bridges by not doing the exit interview. Just be clear you don’t want to engage with an exit interview you don’t need to go into detail.

Spinningdinos · 11/06/2026 10:46

Lovingbooks · 11/06/2026 10:24

Small employers even a charity often do outsource to professionals. You’re role in the charity sounds a little ill defined. Your were employed but also did lwork for free (which can muddy the waters) You won’t burn bridges by not doing the exit interview. Just be clear you don’t want to engage with an exit interview you don’t need to go into detail.

@Lovingbooks I was employed a number of hours per week but regularly did additional work. We'd have events and I would do things like baking or making things to sell to increase revenue. In the early days when funding was more abundant I'd expense the raw materials and clock the hours, then the charity kept the profit. More recently budgets haven't allowed for such things, but I decided to keep doing them (of my own account, wasn't asked to do so, fully my choice). So the prep time was voluntary and I considered the ingredients/materials as a donation on my behalf. It wasn't ever discussed with anyone. It's been my way of trying to keep the output levels as they were whilst dealing with significantly reduced budgets.

It's a tough time to be a charity. Was thinking the other day about how when I was in school we would run fundraisers etc for local charities, but now when my children's school fundraise it's for the school.

OP posts:
rookiemere · 11/06/2026 12:58

You would burn your bridges more by doing the interview than not.
I had a fixed term contract at a charity, they pestered me to do an exit interview and form, zero way I was doing it as HR were toxic and an inappropriate ask when leaving wasn’t my choice.

ColdinHTK · 11/06/2026 17:46

No exit interviews and questionnaires are optional

sortaottery · 11/06/2026 19:24

Last time I left a job and got an exit interview invite, I just said I would be too busy getting things in order before my departure to be able to attend.

It was a fairly large organisation though, so the invite was ticky-box stuff.

amigafan2003 · 11/06/2026 19:37

"Can they make me complete an exit questionnaire and interview or can I refuse to cooperate?"

What are they going to do if you refuse? Sack you?

myyoungerself · 11/06/2026 21:36

Was sent a link overnight for an exit interview but can’t access (no matter what browser at all) ilt is. I’m halfway through notice and got my new employer start date today
(it will take 6 weeks roughly from job offer to starting administration NHS)

FamingolosForDays · 11/06/2026 21:42

I can't believe they are even asking really. "Why are you leaving?" "Er, you've asked me too?"
Fuck that OP. Say no!

New posts on this thread. Refresh page