Do you think exit interviews are helpful? We just had a case in which an ex-employee, during the exit interview, accused a manager of discrimination. The manager blew it off, saying, “Oh, she’s just a disgruntled employee who’s letting off steam on her way out,” and nothing came of it. I don’t know whether it’s worth doing the exit interviews or not.
Here’s what you had to say:
- Exit interviews can certainly be valuable. We use the interview to verify current address, etc., and document that all company-owned items are returned. We ask if they have any unreported work-related injuries (having a “No” response documented helps fight later claims) and if they have any comments. If the employee indicates that they have discrimination issues, this would be a good time to address it. Rather than dismissing a complaint, use the information to defuse a possible claim and to help ensure that others do not feel the same. You may be losing good employees for a reason you didn’t realize existed.—S.M.
- We find that they are helpful. They have, on occasion, revealed potential lawsuits simmering that we were able to prevent because we found out about the problem during the exit interview. We’ve also had people tell us that they appreciated the opportunity to vent. If you don’t do them, there’s always going to be someone who will accuse you of not being diligent enough. In your case, you should definitely look into the ex-employee’s accusation—your risk of a lawsuit doesn’t disappear just because the employee is gone. —A.T.
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