The exit interview as a tool to reduce the employee turnover

Abstract

The topic of this work is the exit interview, a strategic HR management tool that can play a key role in understanding and reducing the employee attrition. In detail, it is the frank moment when the organisation representative asks the leaver not only to disclose the reason for terminating, but also a general opinion about the experience within the organisation.

After dealing briefly with the reference frame of the labour turnover and especially explaining why it is so important to tackle it, the main focus is on the literature review about the exit interview instrument. It is illustrated how the exit interview can be conducted and handled from a formal point of view, how it should be part of a broader and strategic plan in order to have a positive and long–lasting impact, but also how it may not always provide with data reliable in full. Indeed, as all the tools and practices dealing with human behaviours, it may have some methodological issues that need to be addressed with a multi–disciplinary approach. Particular attention is also paid to the different purposes of implementing an exit interview scheme, including the last trends observed in the literature.

Lastly, an empirical case–study conducted in a medium Retail organisation has the aim to investigate if some factors have an impact on the reason for leaving mentioned by the soon to be departed employee at the exit interview stage.