Like most relationships, so does a work one has to end at some point. Whether the exiting employee resigns or gets fired, there has to be a transition process involved. Before the old employee finds a new job or the new employee starts working, there is some paperwork involved. This is why having a good HRIS or human resources information system is crucial when creating the template for the feedback created by your employee exit interview.
This article will explore an exit survey, steps in a termination, what should be in their exit checklist, and what the exit interview should look like.
What is an exit survey?
Exit surveys are simply a way of summing up a career on an employee's last day in your company. When your employee leaves your company, you must consider how they spent their time there and their summation of your company culture.
An exit survey will help you understand what your company is doing right and what it isn't. This, in turn, will help keep your employee turnover rates lower and make your company a better workplace. In addition, people often give better feedback when they leave a company and even share tips for future employees.
These exit surveys should always be done with an exit checklist. Something this important should have a structure so the offboarding process can be done smoother.
Steps in a Resignation/Termination with an Exit Checklist
When you conduct an exit survey, you should do it by following a checklist of predefined steps. You could open your company up for legal consequences if the termination goes badly. It is best for your company and future if these become your standard practices. It broadly consists of two steps.
Step 1 - Informing the management about the resignation/termination
This is the first part of the process and is standard procedure. This is where the corresponding manager has a chance to try to renegotiate with the employee if they are valuable to the company. Again, an essential practice, especially when you have 40% of workers are looking to quit their jobs. If this proves unsuccessful or the employee is terminated, proceed to the next step.
Step 2 - Getting the exit checklist ready
A standard exit checklist can take on three forms. The most common is a physical list where you have predetermined offered questions in checkboxes that the former employee checks. The second step in the exit process is where you create an exit form where employees can comment on themselves. The third one is the combination of the two.
Here you can create a checklist for the employee when they leave. They should start by clearing their work area of personal items, writing a letter of resignation and conducting an exit interview. After they are done with the exit interview, they should return all of your company property. This includes any physical objects or passwords they might have and informing their clients of their departure. After they have completed their checklist, they will be in contact with payroll.
Importance of Exit Interviews in Exit Surveys
An essential part of an exit survey is the exit interview. The exit interview is always done on the employee's last day. This is usually when the employees in your company are most honest about your company's practices and talk most frankly.
Doing this correctly will gain valuable insights into your company and better tweak best practices involving all your company procedures. In addition, if your employees leave happy, they will not damage your reputation, which can affect you're recruiting of new employees.
The are some essential questions you should ask in an Exit interview
The first question should always be, "Why did you decide to leave the company?". After asking that question, you are free to ask other ones.
Why did you choose to accept the offer from the other company?
Are benefits better?
What worked well in your team, and what didn't?
Were there resources that were not available to you?
How was your initial training?
What would you say to your replacement?
What would we need to change to have you working here again?
How is the paperwork here, the bureaucracy?
What was the least favourite?
Was your paycheck adequate for the amount of work you did?
Is there something concerning about the company culture?
What were the favourite parts of your work here?
Anything to add?
Conclusion
You must talk to your employees and try to give them the best experience while working at your company. If you want your employees to have a promising future at your company, you need to figure out what is driving them away and fix your attrition rate. The attrition rate is essential for your company and its health and will determine how quickly you find a replacement for any team members that might leave.
So you better be serious about exit surveys and treat them like gold mines. Sure it might seem like a simple form to you, but it might contain personal information about your company's health its culture and employee satisfaction.
On a related topic check out our article on the best compensation management software!