Download - Exit Interview Research Study Abstract: Unlocking Why Employees Quit & How to Retain Them
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Uncover Why Your Employees Quit:The Future of Exit Interviews
Exit Interview Research StudyResults Report Highlights
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Exit Interview Research Study: Business Case
• Modern organizations are consistently challenged to retain top talent, regardless of economic climate.
• Retention will not get easier : In the ~70 year history that BLS tracked data, as unemployment decreases, turnover increases.
• Exit interviews are the only tool that can capture “Primary drivers” of employee turnover.
Exit Interview Research Study Goals:
1. Provide a benchmark for exit interview program standards2. Capture all exit interview methods and variations3. Measure the impact of exit interviews on performance4. Establish Best Practices in conducting exit interviews
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Exit Interview Research Study: Parameters
Retensa’s Research Division developed a 40 item survey that includes questions on:
• Key organizational characteristics• The methods currently used to conduct
exit interviews• Exit interview effectiveness
Of the 353 respondents in EIRS;• 295 completed majority of survey
questions• 75% of organizations currently conduct
exit interviews for all units• 18% of organizations conduct exit
interviews for some units• 7% do not conduct exit interviews at all
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Defining Exit Interview VocabularyA common language is needed to ensure consistency across programs/solutions, most often cited phrases:
1 SeparationAn active individual’s departure from an organization for any reason
2 Resignation All Voluntary employee separations
3 TerminationAll Involuntary separations (often misstated for any person departing)
4 Principal Individuals who complete an Exit Interview
5 ObserverManagers or HR department who observe or comment on employee (like 360s)
6 Exit InterviewA survey conducted at the end of an individual’s tenure (often employee, though can be members or students) to gather experience perceptions
7Post-Exit interview
Conducted a minimum of 3 months, typically 4 to 6, after separation to increase “boomerang” effect of returning highly valued staff
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Defining Exit Interview VocabularyA common language is needed to ensure consistency across programs/solutions, most often cited phrases:
8 ConfidentialDemographic information may be connected to principal, by third party or exit interview software, but individual responses are not associated or published
9 AnonymousNo personal information is linked to an individual survey or responses
10Web-Based Survey
Web-based exit interviews are sent directly to separating employees' inbox, where they can complete the exit interview in privacy at their convenience - VARIATION: “Kiosk”-style walk up webpages for anonymity
11Voice-Based Survey
Often over the phone, these exit interviews are most appropriate when organizations want to know the complete picture
12Paper-Based Survey
For organizations in manufacturing, retail, mining, transportation, or other field-based industries whose workforce may not have easy Internet access.
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Exit Interview Research Study Resources
To download the full 50+ page Exit Interview Research Study report with advanced insights:
http://exitinterviewsurvey.com/termination-checklist/
Use this coupon code for to get a significant discount: SLIDESHARE12
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Research Study Respondent DemographicsIndustries
Profes-sional
Services/Law/Con-
sulting 16%
Health Care 16%
Manufac-turing/
Chemicals12%
Financial Services/
Insurance/ Real Es-
tate11%
Information Technol-
ogy/ Tele-com10%
Retail/ Hospitality/ Food Ser-
vices9%
Nonprofit/ Govern-
ment/ Ed-ucation
6%Consumer
Goods 4%
Energy 4%
Other4%
Media/En-tertain-
ment/ Pub-lishing
3%
Phar-maceu-
tical/Biotech
3%
Automo-tive/
Transporta-tion/ Air-
lines/ Aerospace
3%
Size of Workforce: Total (Including Seasonal)
Conduct Exit InterviewsYearly Voluntary Turnover Rate
Proportion Workforce: Generation Y (under 30)
Organization HR Structure
Less than 10011%
101-25022%
251-50018%
501-1,00012%
1,001-2,50014%
2,501-5,00010%5,001-
10,0004%
10,001 plus9%
Less than 10
15%
11-2031%
21-3029%
31-4015%Greater
than 4111%
Less than 10 Percent
54%
11-20 Percent
39%
Greater than 21 Percent
8%
Yes75%
Yes (not at all units)
18%
No8%
Centralized 77%
Shared Services
18%
Localized Decentral-
ized 5%
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Voice
Web
Paper
What Exit Interview program methods are used?
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How are exit interviews conducted? Reported?How do you collect Exit Interview Data?
In-Person (Internal Staff)
Paper Based (Mail/Fax)
Web Based (Survey)
Voice Based(Phone)
Touch Tone (IVR)
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
84.3%
30.2%
19.6%
15.7%
0.4%
HR Department
Separating Manager
Dept. Regional Director
External Third Party
Other
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
95.3%
11.5%
4.7%
3.8%
1.3%
Who Conducts Your Exit Interviews?
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How are exit interviews conducted? Reported?
Other
Not Compiled/ Nothing
External Third Party
Executive Leadership
Dept. Regional Director
Separating Emp.'s Manager
HR Department
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
0.9%
6.0%
2.1%
2.6%
1.7%
2.6%
89.7%
2.6%
3.8%
1.3%
32.9%
14.1%
15.0%
87.2%
1.7%
7.7%
0.0%
47.0%
29.1%
25.2%
74.8%
Implements Change Reviews/ Evaluates Information Compiles/ Reports Information
Who Is Responsible for Compiling/Reporting Information, Reviewing/Evaluating Information, and Implementing Change Using Information from Exit Interviews?
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What do exit interviews cover?Which Areas Are Covered with Specific Questions in Your Exit Interview?
Reason for Leaving
Compensation/ Benefits
Employee Perception of Organization
Supervisor/ Manager Relationship
Opportunities for Advancement
Position/ Job Responsibilities
Treatment of Employees
Training/ Development
Organization Leadership
Organizational Culture
Colleague/ Peers
Company Reputation
Nature of Work/ Industry
Work Life Balance
Physical Work Conditions
Performance Appraisals
Reason For Joining
No Specific Areas
Other
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
95.7%85.5%
85.5%
82.1%
77.9%
69.8%
69.8%
68.9%
66.4%
64.3%
57.4%
52.8%
51.1%
43.4%
42.1%
40.4%
26.0%
3.0%
1.7%
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Research Study: Selected Results
Voluntary Separations: Typical Advance Notice before Resignation
Voluntary Separations: When Are Exit Interviews Typically Conducted?
Leave with no notice
0-1 Week
1-2 Weeks
3-4 Weeks
5-6 Weeks
7-8 Weeks
9-10 Weeks
11 Weeks
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
1.3%
1.3%
86.8%
9.0%
0.0%
0.4%
0.0%
1.3%
Confiden-tial
58%
Neither anony-
mous nor confiden-
tial35%Other
5%
Anonymous1%
Exit Interviews Are Typically:
As close to resig-nation no-
tice 31%
After res-ignation and prior to separa-
tion60%
Within a week af-ter sepa-
ration 5%
1- 2 weeks af-ter sepa-
ration2%
2 Weeks or Later
After Separa-
tion2%
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Research Study: Selected Results
Open-Ended
Likert Scale
Yes/No or True/ False
Multiple Choice
Rank Order
Single Choice
Other
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
85.2%
47.0%
15.2%
13.0%
8.3%
3.5%
1.3%
Number of Questions on a Typical Exit Interview
Types of Questions on an Exit Interview
5 or less questions
8%
6-10 questions
26%
11-15 questions
30%
16-20 questions
23%
21-30 questions
10%More than
302%
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What changes are made from Exit Interviews?
Trainin
g and
Develop
ment
Superv
isor/M
anag
er Rela
tionshi
p
Treatm
ent o
f Emplo
yees
Teamwork
/Peer R
elation
ships
Compe
nsation
and B
enefit
s
Opport
unitie
s for A
dvance
ment
Organiz
ationa
l Cultu
re
Perform
ance
Apprai
sals
Position
/Job R
espon
sibilitie
s
Work
-Life
Balance
Organiz
ationa
l Lead
ership
Physica
l Work
Conditi
ons
Compa
ny Rep
utation
/Brand
Other
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
22% 24%32% 35% 38% 39%
45% 45% 47% 47% 51%57%
63%70%
64%66%
62% 57% 52% 53% 46% 43%50%
45% 40%38%
33%26%
14% 10% 6% 8% 11% 8% 9% 12%3%
8% 9% 5% 4% 4%
No Modifications Slight Modifications Major Modifications
More change Less change
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Advanced Research Study AnalysisAdvanced statistical analysis of the study results provided in the Retensa’s Exit Interview Research Study Report includes insight of comparisons across organizational demographics and between different practices themselves.
The advanced findings highlight statistically significant differences found between organizations by varying demographics:
1. Industry2. Size of Workforce3. Voluntary and Involuntary Turnover Rates4. Percent Seasonal Workforce5. Percent of Workforce that is “Generation Y” 6. Modifications/Improvements7. Implementing Changes
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Exit Interview Program Change Outcomes
1. Increase Manager Effectiveness2. Increase Attraction of Candidates3. Reduce Training Costs4. Reduce Turnover5. Improve Customer Experience6. Improve Orientation (Shorten the
Learning Curve)7. Reduce Absenteeism8. Improved Transfer of Knowledge9. Increase Performance
Results derived from valid and reliable exit interviews benefit organizations in the following ways:
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What is the Impact of Exit Interviews?
There are significant differences in the perceived applicability of exit interview responses related to areas of modification.
MODIFICATION MADE TO: Retain High
Performers/Potential Employees
Reduced Turnover
Increased Morale /Motivation of
Current Employees
Outweighs Cost of Performing
Them Reduced
Absenteeism
Teamwork/Peer Relations Company Reputation/Brand Compensation and Benefits Opportunities for Advancement
Organizational Culture Organizational Leadership
Performance Appraisals Physical Work Conditions
Position/J ob Responsibilities
Supervisor/Manager Relationships
Training and Development
Treatment of Employees Life Balance/Flexible Work Arrangements
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Best Practices: Future Program Standards1. Organizations that have uniform and consistent exit interview(s) more
strongly agree that the information collected is valuable to organizational improvement
2. Exit Interviews are most effective when they are performed 2 weeks before to 2 weeks after separation date
3. Post-exit interviews are most effective four (4) to six (6) months after separation date
4. Consider Confidentiality, not Anonymity, for highest application of results
5. Mixed methods provide most cost-effective approacha. Voice-based for high level positions / high value individuals / high turnover
areasb. Web-based for most othersc. Minimize paper-based when possible
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Best Practices: Future Program Standards6. Use dedicated Exit Interview Software to automate and simplify
deployment and reporting, look for:a. HRIS integrationb. Multiple survey capabilityc. Multiple method capabilityd. Multiple observer or 360 capability (including HR Only questions or Manager
questions)
7. In order of Return on Investment (ROI) value, Exit Interview target populations should include:a. Voluntary (Resignations)b. Retireesc. Transfersd. Involuntary (Layoffs/Reductions in Force)e. Internshipsf. Contingent/Project staffg. Involuntary (Terminations)
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Internationally recognized employee retention experts by:
Who is Retensa?
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Exit Interview Research Study Resources
To download the full 50+ page Exit Interview Research Study report with advanced insights:
http://exitinterviewsurvey.com/termination-checklist/
Use this coupon code for to get a significant discount: SLIDESHARE12
Talent Management Solutions
www.retensa.com (212) 545-1280 22
Thank You
Discover the next generation of Talent Management solutions:Insightful Exit Interview Software: www.ExitPro.com
Revealing HR Metrics Dashboards: www.HRMetricsPro.comROI Driven Employee Retention Strategies: www.Retensa.com
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