Find out why your best people stay, and what might make them leave, while you can still do something about it.
| Stay interview | Exit interview | |
|---|---|---|
| Timing | While the employee is engaged in the job | After the employee has resigned |
| Goal | Keep the employee; fix issues early | Learn why people leave; spot patterns |
| Who leads | Usually the direct manager | Often HR or a neutral party |
| Ability to act for this person | High | Low |
| Honesty risk | Employees may hold back without trust | Employees may avoid burning bridges |
Both are useful. Our exit interview questions guide covers the other side.
You will not use all of these. Pick five to eight that fit the person and your goals, and let the conversation flow.
EZTime digital HR forms let you send, sign and file employee documents online.
| # | Question |
|---|---|
| 1 | What do you look forward to most when you come to work? |
| 2 | What do you like most about your job? |
| 3 | What keeps you working here? |
| 4 | When was the last time you had a really good day at work? What made it good? |
| 5 | Which parts of your work make the best use of your skills? |
| 6 | Who on the team do you enjoy working with most, and why? |
| 7 | What would you miss most if you left? |
| 8 | What do you think we do better than other employers you have worked for? |
| # | Question |
|---|---|
| 9 | What do you like least about your job? |
| 10 | What is the most frustrating part of your day? |
| 11 | If you could change one thing about your job, what would it be? |
| 12 | What gets in the way of doing your best work? |
| 13 | Are there tasks you would happily hand off? |
| 14 | Do you have the tools and information you need? |
| 15 | How do you feel about your schedule and workload? |
| 16 | Is there a policy or process that makes your job harder than it should be? |
| # | Question |
|---|---|
| 17 | What skills would you like to develop this year? |
| 18 | Where do you see yourself in two years? |
| 19 | What kind of work would you like to do more of? |
| 20 | Is there a role here you would like to move into? |
| 21 | What training would help you most? |
| 22 | Do you feel you have a clear path forward here? |
| 23 | Who here would you like to learn from? |
| 24 | What would make you feel more challenged? |
| # | Question |
|---|---|
| 25 | How do you prefer to receive feedback? |
| 26 | What could I do more of, or less of, to support you? |
| 27 | Do you feel recognized for your work? How do you like to be recognized? |
| 28 | How often would you like to check in with me? |
| 29 | Is there anything I do that makes your job harder? |
| 30 | Do you feel comfortable raising concerns with me? |
| 31 | When have you felt most valued here? |
| 32 | What is one thing you wish leadership knew? |
| # | Question |
|---|---|
| 33 | What might tempt you to leave? |
| 34 | Have you thought about leaving in the last few months? What triggered it? |
| 35 | If you were offered a job elsewhere tomorrow, what would make you take it? |
| 36 | If you left, what would be the main reason? |
| 37 | What would make you stay here for another few years? |
| 38 | What would make this the best job you have ever had? |
| 39 | Is there anything about your life outside work we could support better, such as scheduling? |
| 40 | Is there anything we did not talk about that you want to raise? |
If you cannot meet everyone at once, prioritize:
Over time, aim to include everyone, so stay interviews do not look like a reward only for favorites.
| What you hear | Possible action |
|---|---|
| “My schedule makes childcare hard” | Explore fixed shifts, earlier posting or easier swaps through scheduling software |
| “I don’t know where I’m going here” | Map a career path and training plan together |
| “No one notices good work” | Build regular recognition into team routines (see recognition ideas) |
| “I never hear what’s going on” | Improve team communication with announcements and huddles |
| “The equipment keeps breaking” | Escalate the fix and report back |
| “I’m underpaid” | Review market data and your pay structure; be honest about what is possible and when |
Also look across interviews for patterns. If several people raise the same problem, it is a team or company issue, not an individual one. Combine findings with surveys (see how to measure employee satisfaction) for a full picture.
Stay interviews are conversations, but the usual employment rules still apply. Ask questions about the job, not about protected characteristics such as age, pregnancy, religion, disability or family plans. If an employee raises discrimination, harassment, safety or wage concerns, follow your company’s complaint procedures and avoid any action that could look like retaliation. The National Labor Relations Act protects many employees’ rights to discuss pay and working conditions, so do not discourage those conversations.
A simple shared template keeps stay interviews consistent across managers. Store notes securely, for example in a restricted section of the digital employee file, and track follow-up actions with task management. For broader retention strategy, see our guides on employee retention strategies and reducing employee turnover.
A one-on-one conversation between a manager and a current employee about what keeps them in the job, what frustrates them and what might cause them to leave, held so the company can act before the employee resigns.
Many organizations hold them once or twice a year, plus at key milestones such as the end of the first 90 days.
Usually the employee’s direct manager, since the manager can act on most issues. HR can provide templates, training and help spot patterns.
About 20 to 30 minutes is typical. Keep it focused and leave time for follow-up questions.
A survey collects anonymous data from many employees to show trends. A stay interview is a personal conversation that reveals what one specific employee needs.
Brief notes on key points and agreed actions help you follow up. Store them securely and share only what is needed.
EZTime’s digital HR forms collect e-signatures and keep the signed copy in the employee’s digital file, with reminders before a document expires. Pricing starts at $2 per employee each month, with a $20 monthly minimum.