Exit Interviews
What is an Exit Interview?
An exit interview allows an organization to ask questions of departing employees in order to assess their own
practices and procedures, and to seek out information on what the employee deemed to be positive and/or
negative about their time with the organization. In seeking out this information, the employer can utilize it to
make organizational changes, implement new policies and procedures, and to continue any practices
which it considers to be effective.
What Questions Should be Asked?
The exit interview should ask a wide range of questions to ensure they cover all areas of the business. These
areas should include from the beginning of the employment relationship, such as the interview and
onboarding process, to the training and development received throughout the course of employment, the
culture of the organization, information about the job itself including the tasks, responsibilities, working
conditions, and the decision to leave the organization.
How to Conduct an Exit Interview?
An exit interview can be conducted either formally or informally. A member of human resources or member
of senior management may arrange to sit down with the employee to conduct a formal interview. A
questionnaire should be utilized to ask standard questions of all departing employees so as to maintain the
integrity of the information being sought and utilized.
It should be made clear to the employee why the information is being sought and the employee should be
encouraged to be open and honest with their responses. Although generic questions will be utilized, the
employee should be encouraged to elaborate on their answers.
A sample Exit Interview Questionnaire is included below.
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Client Instructions
1. The following form contains e yellow and blue highlighted fields
The yellow highlighted fields require information from you
The blue highlighted fields are instructional notes to you and require your input
Please ensure all sections are populated prior to finalizing the document
2. This document is in a format permitting you to make appropriate
branding updates
add/remove sections
or make revisions as desired
3. Remember to remove this page prior to distribution.
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This document is intended to be used as a reference and ought not be considered as constituting legal advice
(including jurisdictional variances) and accordingly should not be relied upon without obtaining specific legal advice
from e2r™.
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[Company Name] – Exit Interview [Date]
Exiting Employee’s Name:________________________________________________________________
Title/Position:______________________________ Office Location:______________
Date of Hire: ___________________Date of Departure:_________________
Employee’s Supervisor:_________________________________________________
Interview Conducted By:_____________________ Date:_______________________
[Note to Client: We suggest that you select the questions that would be relevant to each position as exit
interviews are most effective when they are customized.]
Decision to Leave:
1. Tell me about your decision to leave the Company.
2. Was there a triggering factor in that decision?
3. What was the main reason for your leaving the Company?
4. Did you discuss your issues/potential reason for considering leaving with your Manger/Human
Resources?
5. Was there anything that could have been done to prevent your departure?
6. Are there any unresolved issues we should know about?
Decision to Join Company:
1. How did you come to work at the Company?
2. What do you recall about your interview process with the Company?
3. Were there any specific factors which lead to your decision to work at the Company?
The Job:
1. What were the most satisfying aspect(s) of your job?
2. What were the least satisfying aspect(s) of your job?
3. What would you have changed about your job?
4. Did your job duties turn out to be as expected or as positioned to you during the recruitment
process?
5. What suggestions would you make to improve the working conditions of your job?
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This document is intended to be used as a reference and ought not be considered as constituting legal advice
(including jurisdictional variances) and accordingly should not be relied upon without obtaining specific legal advice
from e2r™.
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6. What can you say about the way you were managed?
7. Are there any improvements your immediate supervisor could make to his/her management style?
8. Do you have any tips to help us find your replacement?
9. Did you receive feedback on your performance within the Company?
The Company:
1. What did you like most about the Company?
2. What did you like least about the Company?
3. Would you consider working for the Company in the future?
4. Were you happy with your pay, benefits, and other incentives offered to you by the Company?
5. Would you recommend working at the Company to friends or family?
6. What can the Company do better to retain its best people, and not lose any more like you?
7. What do you feel the Company does well?
Communication/Culture:
1. How would you describe the culture or feel of the Company?
2. What can you say about communications within the Company or within your department?
3. Did you receive feedback regarding your performance?
Training and Development:
1. Did you receive enough training and support to do your job effectively?
2. What training and development that you received did you find most helpful and enjoyable?
3. What training would you have liked or needed that you did not get, and what effect would this
have had?
4. What extra responsibility would you have welcomed that you were not given?
5. How could the organization have enabled you to make fuller use of your capabilities and
potential?
www.e2rsolutions.com
This document is intended to be used as a reference and ought not be considered as constituting legal advice
(including jurisdictional variances) and accordingly should not be relied upon without obtaining specific legal advice
from e2r™.
