Toolkit for Conducting Exit Interviews

Exit interviews are not complicated, but there are best practices that make them far more useful. This 60-minute exit interview training gives you the tools to start a program or improve the one you have.

You'll learn the seven steps for implementing a program, the value of a listening culture, and how the employee's and employer's perspectives differ. The session compares face-to-face, phone, questionnaire and consultant interviews, and covers who should conduct them, when to hold them and the value of second interviews.

It also covers confidentiality, involuntary terminations, effective listening, documentation for legal protection, and how to analyze, report and act on what you learn.

• Implement an exit interview program using seven steps
• Choose the right interview format, interviewer and timing
• Create conditions that encourage honest answers
• Handle confidentiality and involuntary terminations appropriately
• Listen effectively and document interviews for legal protection
• Analyze, report and act on exit interview findings

• Seven steps for implementing an exit interview program
• The value of a listening culture
• Thirteen reasons to implement a program
• Employee vs employer perspectives
• Pros and cons of face-to-face, phone, questionnaire and consultant interviews
• Who should conduct interviews and when
• The value of second interviews
• Helping employees feel comfortable and getting honest answers
• Administering questionnaires
• Handling involuntary terminations
• When offering confidentiality can be a problem
• More than 15 considerations for the interview itself
• Keys to effective listening
• Documentation for legal protection
• Analyzing and reporting the information
• Taking action and getting the most from the interviews
• Sample interview questions, policy and questionnaire

Departing employees can tell you a lot, but only if the interview is set up to get honest answers and the results lead to action. This session helps you run exit interviews well and get the most from them.

It suits HR directors, generalists and interviewers, business owners and senior leaders, directors, managers and supervisors, and anyone who wants to build a listening culture.

• HR Directors
• Business Owners and Senior Leaders
• HR Generalists and Interviewers
• Directors, Managers, and Supervisors
• Anyone wanting to Develop a Listening Culture

Bob Verchota, SPHR, is the President and owner of RPVerchota & Associates, a human resources and management practices consulting firm. He has over 30 years of human resources and operational leadership experience. His most recent corporate assignments include serving as VP Support Services, VP of Ancillary Services and Human Resources, and VP Human Resources. Focus areas include organization change and employee development, talent acquisition, risk management, compensation and benefits, labor and employee relations, performance improvement, and other operational issues. 

Academic pursuits include an undergraduate degree in Business Administration, graduate degree in Healthcare Administration (MHA), and doctoral work in Organization Development EdD (abd). He has taught at the technical, baccalaureate, and masters levels in several colleges and universities.