I wonder why organisations even bother conducting exit interviews. Let’s face it, by the time the exit interview is conducted, the employee is almost certain that he/she is leaving.

A colleague had her exit interview conducted by a senior manager. Accordingly to her account, rather than listening to why my colleague was leaving for greener pastures, the senior manager was busy defending the practices of the organisation.

For exit interviews to be effective, interviewers must be prepared to listen. It is the responsibility of the interviewer to provide a safe space for exiting employees to share their experience or air their grievances. My suggestion is for interviewers to engage and listen. Do not be dismissive or patronising by saying things like “things will get better”, “when faced with a problem, it is your responsibility to solve it” or “you have not given yourself enough time with organisation”. Managers must pause and empathise. That is not to say that managers must take everything at face value. Good managers should be able to sieve out the noise and identify the root of the problem, if any. Wanting to have the last say is pointless.