Exit Interview: Leaving-without burning bridges!

For many people, the term “exit interview” conjures up images of annoyance. To begin, exit interviews are held with employees leaving the organization; these conversations typically concentrate around their experiences, the reason for a job shift, and so on. Exit interviews are common, especially after the pandemic and  great resignation; firms are more concerned about the workforce. Exit interviews assist businesses in gathering information from departing employees, who are often upfront about their experiences at work. When employees depart, there are a thousand questions that come to mind. Should I be honest about what I’ve been through -why should I care? In any case, I’m leaving! Will it be better if I keep my mouth shut and conclude things on a positive note? These are all very common.

An exit interview’s statistics can provide a company with a unique insight into its success and employee satisfaction. For this to happen, people leaving the company must be truthful, but what if this causes a rift?

The theory says, stay honest, not bitter and let the place you’re leaving develop. Still, in reality, when employees leave because of a terrible experience, they don’t think about keeping a bridge between them and the company.

However, an exit interview is not a time to rant about your previous experiences; all of this should have been discussed before making a final decision.

Maybe if you’d brought them up earlier, your manager would have agreed to your demands with maybe a wage raise and added benefits. So, before you decide to leave, have such deep conversations.

The purpose of exit interviews:

• To identify areas for improvement
• To ensure that employees leave satisfied with their services.
• To inspire, demonstrate that you care.

How to end it:

• It’s ok to get frustrated; instead of losing your cool, try to find a better method to communicate yourself. If not, be sarcastic; it’s just not about the cause; there are relations, reputation, experiences involved.
• Be diplomatic in your responses- (It’s not you- It’s me) the honest and straightforward reason you’re going is that you believe you’re competent—you can easily find a job or already have one, and all you’re looking for is a chance to advance.
• Try to be deserving and accountable—don’t leave a mess behind, and make sure the incumbent feels the same.

Finally, be grateful for the opportunity – at the very least, you learned something. Keep in mind that the industry you serve is limited, and it’s never worth to burn bridges.