The Stay Interview An Improvement On the Exit Interview - Spark Hire

The Stay Interview An Improvement On the Exit Interview - Spark HireIf youre like most managers, you probably hold regular performance reviews that are designed to let employees know how theyre doing, and give them a weg to improve on their weaknesses.But what about performance reviews for you, the employer? Wouldnt it make sense to give employees an opportunity to tell you, as an organization, how youre doing?A tool for retention and engagementSome employers do think that makes sense. Theyve implemented whats known as stay interviews to allow employees to give constructive feedback to the organization. The aims build employee engagement and increase the chances of retaining valued employees.The stay interview is a cousin of the exit interview. But where exit interviews are designed so that departing employees can suggest what the organization could do better, stay interviews aim to glean those same suggestions but before valued employees decide to leave.Doing them rightEmployee re tention experts have some suggestions for conducting stay interviewsDecide whom you want to interview. You may choose to talk only to your most valued employees. After all, theyre the ones you most want to stay But if you do go that way, consider the possible downside Employees who arent interviewed may take this as an indication of second-class status, and their morale may suffer.Make clear to interviewees what youre doing. Employees who are unaware of what a stay interview is may be startled that theyre being asked to participate in one. They may even ask themselves whether youre trying to suggest they shouldnt stay The interviewer needs to explain what the interview is about, and what it aims to accomplish.Do it separately from the performance review. Some practitioners of stay interviews do them every six months, at the opposite end of the year from the employees performance review.Act on what you hear. Any time you ask for employee feedback, you need to be prepared either to ac t on it or explain why you cant. The same holds for stay interviews.Sample questionsIf you do decide to give stay interviews a try, here are some of the kinds of questions you may want to askWhen you have a great day at work, what made it that way?If you could change one thing about your job, what would it be?Whats your dream job?When you wake up on weekdays, do you want to jump up and get to work, or hit the snooze button on your alarm? Why?If you received a big inheritance and didnt have to work, what would you miss?What talents, interests or skills do you have that we havent made the most of?Whats bothering you most about your job?What kind of performance feedback would you like that you arent receiving?What have you felt good about accomplishing here (since the last stay interview or throughout time with organization)?You can read more about stay interviews here 6 Stay Interview Questions That Top Employers Ask.About the AuthorDave Clemens is a senior writer for Rapid Learning I nstitute and writes The HR Caf Blog. His work hasappeared in The Associated Press, World Press Review, and in several human resources, employmentlaw, and business newsletters. You can connect with Dave via Twitter TheHRCafe.