Stay Interviews: The Retention Tool Most Managers Overlook

What is a Stay Interview?

Exit interviews provide a post-mortem on why an employee left, but by then, it is too late to save the relationship. A stay interview is a proactive conversation with current, high-performing employees to understand what keeps them engaged and what might cause them to look elsewhere.

Why Stay Interviews Outperform Exit Interviews

Exit interviews are often filtered through the lens of a person who has already checked out. Stay interviews, however, happen in the 'flow of work.' They allow you to solve small problems before they become reasons for resignation.

Key Questions to Ask

• What keeps you working here?
• If you were to leave, what would be the trigger?
• What is the one thing that would make your job more satisfying?
• Does your manager provide the support you need to succeed?

Turning Insights into Action

The success of this tool relies on follow-through. If an employee mentions that they feel disconnected from leadership, your immediate action should be to improve communication channels. When employees see their feedback resulting in tangible changes, their loyalty to the company increases significantly.