The document summarizes key findings from an exit interview research study conducted by Talent Management Solutions. The study analyzed how over 350 organizations conduct exit interviews. It found that most organizations conduct exit interviews but there is variability in methods, questions asked, and use of results. The study aims to establish best practices for exit interview programs. It provides recommendations such as using confidential over anonymous interviews and targeting voluntary resignations for interviews.

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Talent Management Solutions
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Uncover Why Your Employees Quit:
The Future of Exit Interviews
Exit Interview Research Study
Results 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 standards
2. Capture all exit interview methods and variations
3. Measure the impact of exit interviews on performance
4. 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 Vocabulary
A common language is needed to ensure consistency across
programs/solutions, most often cited phrases:
1 Separation
An active individual’s departure from an organization for any
reason
2 Resignation All Voluntary employee separations
3 Termination
All Involuntary separations (often misstated for any person
departing)
4 Principal Individuals who complete an Exit Interview
5 Observer
Managers or HR department who observe or comment on
employee (like 360s)
6 Exit Interview
A survey conducted at the end of an individual’s tenure (often
employee, though can be members or students) to gather
experience perceptions
7
Post-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 Vocabulary
A common language is needed to ensure consistency across
programs/solutions, most often cited phrases:
8 Confidential
Demographic information may be connected to principal, by third
party or exit interview software, but individual responses are not
associated or published
9 Anonymous
No personal information is linked to an individual survey or
responses
10
Web-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
11
Voice-Based
Survey
Often over the phone, these exit interviews are most appropriate
when organizations want to know the complete picture
12
Paper-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 Demographics
Industries
Professional
Services/Law/Consul
ting
16%
Health Care
16%
Manufacturing/Chem
icals
12%
Financial
Services/Insurance/
Real Estate
10%
Information
Technology/
Telecom
10%
Retail/ Hospitality/
Food Services
9%
Nonprofit/
Government/
Education
6%
Consumer Goods
4%
Energy
4%
Other
4%
Media/Entertainment
/ Publishing
3%
Pharmaceutical/Biot
ech
3%
Automotive/
Transportation/
Airlines/ 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 100
11%
101-250
22%
251-500
18%
501-1,000
12%
1,001-2,500
14%
2,501-5,000
10%5,001-10,000
4%
10,001 plus
9%
Less than 10
15%
11-20
30%
21-30
29%
31-40
15%Greater than
41
11%
Less than 10
Percent
54%
11-20 Percent
39%
Greater than
21 Percent
7%
Yes
74%
Yes (not at all
units)
18%
No
8%
Centralized
77%
Shared
Services
18%
Localized
Decentralized
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?
84.3%
30.2%
19.6%
15.7%
0.4%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
In-Person (Internal Staff)
Paper Based (Mail/Fax)
Web Based (Survey)
Voice Based(Phone)
Touch Tone (IVR)
95.3%
11.5%
4.7%
3.8%
1.3%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
HR Department
Separating Manager
Dept. Regional Director
External Third Party
Other
Who Conducts Your Exit Interviews?

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How are exit interviews conducted? Reported?
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%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Other
Not Compiled/ Nothing
External Third Party
Executive Leadership
Dept. Regional Director
Separating Emp.'s Manager
HR Department
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?
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%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
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

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Research Study: Selected Results
Voluntary Separations: Typical Advance Notice before Resignation
Voluntary Separations: When Are Exit
Interviews Typically Conducted?
1.3%
1.3%
86.8%
9.0%
0.0%
0.4%
0.0%
1.3%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Leave with no notice
0-1 Week
1-2 Weeks
3-4 Weeks
5-6 Weeks
7-8 Weeks
9-10 Weeks
11 Weeks
Confidential
58%
Neither
anonymous
nor
confidential
36%Other
5%
Anonymous
1%
Exit Interviews Are Typically:
As close to
resignation
notice
31%
After
resignation
and prior to
separation
60%
Within a
week after
separation
5%
1- 2 weeks
after
separation
2%
2 Weeks or
Later After
Separation
2%

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Research Study: Selected Results
85.2%
47.0%
15.2%
13.0%
8.3%
3.5%
1.3%
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
Open-Ended
Likert Scale
Yes/No or True/ False
Multiple Choice
Rank Order
Single Choice
Other
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
24%
21-30
questions
10%
More than 30
2%

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What changes are made from Exit Interviews?
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%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
No Modifications Slight Modifications Major Modifications
More change Less change

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Advanced Research Study Analysis
Advanced 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. Industry
2. Size of Workforce
3. Voluntary and Involuntary Turnover Rates
4. Percent Seasonal Workforce
5. Percent of Workforce that is “Generation Y”
6. Modifications/Improvements
7. Implementing Changes

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Exit Interview Program Change Outcomes
1. Increase Manager Effectiveness
2. Increase Attraction of Candidates
3. Reduce Training Costs
4. Reduce Turnover
5. Improve Customer Experience
6. Improve Orientation (Shorten the
Learning Curve)
7. Reduce Absenteeism
8. Improved Transfer of Knowledge
9. 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/Job
Responsibilities    
Supervisor/Manager
Relationships  
Training and Development    
Treatment of Employees    
Life Balance/Flexible
Work Arrangements   

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Best Practices: Future Program Standards
1. 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 approach
a. Voice-based for high level positions / high value individuals / high turnover areas
b. Web-based for most others
c. Minimize paper-based when possible

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Best Practices: Future Program Standards
6. Use dedicated Exit Interview Software to automate and simplify deployment
and reporting, look for:
a. HRIS integration
b. Multiple survey capability
c. Multiple method capability
d. 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. Retirees
c. Transfers
d. Involuntary (Layoffs/Reductions in Force)
e. Internships
f. Contingent/Project staff
g. 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

22. 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.com
ROI Driven Employee Retention Strategies: www.Retensa.com
Powerful Staff Appreciation Tips: www.StaffAppreciationDay.com