When someone leaves, they take knowledge with them. A well-run exit interview captures the part that can help you keep the next person.
| # | Question |
|---|---|
| 1 | What prompted you to start looking for a new job? |
| 2 | What is the main reason you are leaving? |
| 3 | Was there a specific moment when you decided to leave? |
| 4 | What does your new job offer that this one did not? |
| 5 | Could we have done anything to keep you? |
| 6 | Did you raise any of these concerns before deciding to leave? What happened? |
| 7 | Would you consider returning in the future? Under what conditions? |
| # | Question |
|---|---|
| 8 | Did the job match the description you were given when hired? |
| 9 | What did you enjoy most about your job? |
| 10 | What did you enjoy least? |
| 11 | Did you have the tools, training and information you needed? |
| 12 | How manageable was your workload? |
| 13 | How did your schedule work for you? |
| 14 | Did you feel your skills were used well? |
| # | Question |
|---|---|
| 15 | How would you describe your relationship with your manager? |
| 16 | Did you receive regular, useful feedback? |
| 17 | Did you feel recognized for your work? |
| 18 | What could your manager have done differently? |
| 19 | How well did your team work together? |
| 20 | Did you feel comfortable raising concerns? |
| 21 | Did you ever experience or witness behavior that made you uncomfortable at work? |
| # | Question |
|---|---|
| 22 | Did you see a path for growth here? |
| 23 | Did you get the training you wanted? |
| 24 | How did you feel about your pay? |
| 25 | How did you feel about the benefits? |
| 26 | Were promotion decisions fair and clear? |
| # | Question |
|---|---|
| 27 | How would you describe our company culture? |
| 28 | How well did leadership communicate with employees? |
| 29 | What is one thing we should change right away? |
| 30 | What should we never change? |
| 31 | What advice would you give your replacement? |
| 32 | Would you recommend this company to a friend as a place to work? Why or why not? |
| 33 | How was your onboarding experience? |
| 34 | Is there knowledge or a process your replacement needs to know about? |
| 35 | Is there anything else you would like to share? |
| Format | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| In person or video with HR | Rich detail; follow-up questions | Some people hold back |
| With a neutral third party | More candid answers | Costs more |
| Online survey | Easy to compare; can be anonymous in larger teams | Less detail; lower response rates |
| Combination | Survey for scores, conversation for depth | Takes more time |
Many businesses use a short survey plus an optional conversation. In very small teams, true anonymity is hard, so be honest about how answers will be used. Avoid having the departing employee’s direct manager conduct the interview when the manager may be part of the reason for leaving.
EZTime digital HR forms let you send, sign and file employee documents online.
Exit interviews only matter if someone reviews them. Every quarter:
For example, if exit interviews show that schedule unpredictability drives departures, you might post schedules earlier and make swaps easier with scheduling software. See our guides on reducing employee turnover and retention strategies.
| Field | Why track it |
|---|---|
| Department, location and role | Shows where turnover concentrates |
| Manager | Reveals manager-specific patterns |
| Tenure at exit | Separates early-turnover problems (hiring, onboarding) from later ones (growth, pay) |
| Primary and secondary reason | Allows clean counting by category |
| Regrettable or not | Focuses effort on losses that hurt most |
| Would return? | Builds a list of potential boomerang hires |
| Key quote | Keeps the human detail for leadership reviews |
If many people leave within their first 90 days, the problem is usually hiring or onboarding rather than pay. Our guide on onboarding hourly employees can help.
See our personnel file guide for record-keeping basics.
Hourly employees often leave quickly, and many never get an exit interview. A short mobile survey sent during the last week, with five to eight questions, can still capture useful data. Keep questions simple and available in the languages your team speaks. eztime’s employee surveys can help collect this feedback.
The way someone leaves shapes what they say about you. Thank them publicly where appropriate, give a smooth handover, return their final pay on time and keep the door open. Former employees who leave on good terms may return, refer candidates or become customers.
To understand why an employee is leaving and what the company could improve, so it can reduce future turnover and capture knowledge before the employee goes.
Usually HR or a neutral manager who is not the employee’s direct supervisor, so the employee feels free to speak openly.
Generally, exit interviews are voluntary. Do not make final pay or references depend on participation. Check state law and your own policies.
During the notice period, often in the final week but not at the last minute. Some companies also send a short follow-up survey a few months after departure.
Around 10 to 15 questions in a conversation, or 5 to 10 in a short survey, is usually enough to get useful information without fatiguing the employee.
Treat it as a complaint, document it and follow your investigation procedure, even though the employee is leaving. Consult HR or legal counsel as needed.
EZTime’s HR module includes onboarding and offboarding tracks, plus digital forms and e-signatures for the paperwork. See current plans and what each one includes on the pricing page.