Exit interview survey
In a face-to-face exit chat, people protect their reference. They say 'new opportunity' and move on. This survey asks about what happened over the last few months instead, so you learn whether it was the manager, the growth path or the pay.
Best for: People teams, managers, and anyone trying to stop losing the colleagues they wanted to keep.
Use this template freeWhen did you first start thinking seriously about leaving?
A live preview of this template. Click through it. Nothing gets sent.
The questions
- 1When did you first start thinking seriously about leaving?Short textThe timing usually points at what set it off better than any stated reason.
- 2What was happening around then that pushed you toward looking?Long textA real moment from the past gets a truer answer than 'why are you leaving?'.
- 3What's the real reason you're leaving, the one you might not put in a resignation letter?Long text
- 4What, if anything, would have kept you here?Long text
- 5How would you rate each of these where you sat? Manager, growth path, pay, day-to-day work.Long textA few words per factor shows which one broke. An average would hide it.
- 6How likely are you to recommend working here to a friend?NPSAn honest read on the way out, and a number you can track from one leaver to the next.
- 7Is there anything you held back saying while you were here?Long text
Sample replies, counted
These replies are made up to show the method.
Asked: What, if anything, would have kept you here?
A manager who did 1:1s. I had four in eleven months and two got cancelled.
A better managera real path to senior. I asked twice and got 'next cycle' both times
A clear next stepHonestly nothing. I'm moving to Lisbon.
Nothing would haveIf my manager had backed me in the reorg instead of handing my project to someone else without telling me
A better managerBeing told what I'd need to do to get promoted. Nobody could tell me.
A clear next stepMatching the offer. It was 18% more.
Better payDifferent manager, same team. I liked the work.
A better manager
| Label | Replies |
|---|---|
| A better manager | 3 |
| A clear next step | 2 |
| Nothing would have | 1 |
| Better pay | 1 |
Three of seven point at their manager and two at a missing promotion path. Only one left for pay. Look at which managers these three reported to before you touch salary bands.
How to run it well
- Send it a few days after notice, not on the last day. By then people are packing up and saying goodbye.
- Say up front that answers are reported without names. People hold back to protect their reference unless you take that worry away.
- Have someone outside the person's reporting line own the survey. Nobody tells their manager that the manager was the problem.
- Tag answers by team and tenure, then look for repeats. A bad manager shows up as the same story from several people.
- Share the leavers' own words with leadership. 'Pay' often turns out to mean 'I stopped growing and the pay didn't make up for it'.
When not to use this: This is for colleagues leaving your team. If you mean people cancelling your product, use the customer churn survey instead.
FAQ
Should exit interviews be anonymous?
Survey or live conversation?
Where the method comes from
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