Employee offboarding is a key part of the life cycle of every employee that comes through the doors of your organization. A crucial but often overlooked part of this process is the exit interview. Whether it be an employee that has voluntarily left your company or an employee you have had to fire, never skip an exit interview. Here are the 4 reasons why…

An employee that is leaving doesn’t have to hold anything back when assessing the company culture. Asking for honest feedback about the employee’s experience during their time working for you organization may bring many issues to light. They will point out problems that you haven’t even thought of.

Find out exactly why the employee is leaving and what you could have done to help them stay. These insights will be valuable to your efforts to retain your best employees now and in the future. Really listen to what the employee has to say.

There’s no way around it, it’s expensive to replace an employee. The average cost of replacing an employee can be 1.5-2 times the employee’s salary. By using the insights the departing employee has given you, you can save time and money by preventing high turnover rates within your organization.

Sometimes, an employee just isn’t the fit for your organization in the long term. The insights this the exiting employee gives you can help you make smarter recruiting and hiring decisions in the future. What characteristics in that employee led her/him to leave? Was it a bad culture fit? There can be many contributing factors to an employee’s departure but knowing them is important for bringing in the future talent to your organization. If they have accepted an offer from another company, ask them what swayed their decision so you can use those insights in your own recruiting efforts.

An exit interview done in the right way brings closure to an employee’s time working for your team. When an employee decides to leave, often the manager will wonder exactly why they are leaving and if they contributed to the departure. Have an honest conversation with the employee to really understand why they are leaving. Being open and honest can lead to a positive last interaction for the employee and help them leave on good terms. You never know when a former employee can find her way back. A positive departure can lead to referrals from the former employee that can help you bring great talent onto your team in the future.