When you have someone on the team that gives notice, a few things probably go through your mind very quickly:
- Why are they leaving?
- How quickly can we replace them?
- Do we need to replace them, or can we incorporate their responsibilities into others?
- In terms of morale how much does it hurt the company?
All important thoughts for sure. But to me there is also one more important thing to do: the exit survey. We try and complete an exit survey with everyone who leaves the company.
Here are some of the questions we ask:
- Why have you decided to leave the company?
- What could we do to improve the atmosphere of the company?
- Did you receive enough training and support to do your job effectively?
- Do you think management adequately recognizes employees’ contributions?
- What do you think you will miss the most about the company?
- Under what circumstances, if any, would you consider returning to the company?
Our goal is too keep exit surveys short. I have heard too many stories of long exit surveys which I believe are counterproductive.
What are we missing?
What questions do you ask?
How important is the process to you?