EXIT INTERVIEWS HIGHLIGHT GAP OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN CHARITY & PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYERS AND STAFF
A new survey suggests that a gap exists among charity and public sector employers and staff on the importance of carrying out exit interviews.
The survey of those working charity and third sectors was carried out by not for profit recruitment specialist, TPP Not for Profit. It reveals that of those employees who replied, 58% said they had never had an exit interview but that 74% would like the opportunity to have one.
Of those who did have an exit interview, 56% found them useful with most feeling that it had allowed them to make suggestions for improving their role for the new starter. Only 11% said they allowed them to highlight issues they had with a colleague or manager.
Different picture
However, employers paint a different picture, with a staggering 86% revealing that they carry out exit interviews with leavers which in the majority (79%) of organisations using their HR departments to carry them out and just under a fifth (19%) have the line manager undertake them.
Face to face is the favoured way of undertaking the interview with only 3% using electronic questionnaires and 7% paper questionnaires.
Major discrepancy
Another major discrepancy between staff and employers arose when it comes to feeding back following the interview. Two thirds of employees responded that they did not receive feedback after their interview although 70% said they would like to have had feedback. However, 87% of employers claim that they feedback to the relevant staff.
Employers find the most beneficial reason for carrying out exit interviews is to develop or improve their internal management procedures (45%) and 32% believe that it helps to highlight a particular issue with a specific employee or team.
Commenting on the survey findings TPP chief executive, Jayne Morris, said: “We were surprised by the difference the survey highlighted in the experience of exit interviews between staff and employers, particularly regarding the employee’s belief that they don’t receive feedback.
”If carried out properly exit interviews can be beneficial for both parties and can ensure that someone leaving an organisation does so with positive feelings for their former employer.”
For those employers who do not hold interviews 34% said that they had no procedures in place but another third said that they were planning on introducing them shortly.
The overwhelming majority (79%) believe that exit interviews will help them with staff retention and that 93% believe that securing honest and open feedback can benefit their organisation.
“We advise employers to carry out exit interviews wherever possible as they do assist in highlighting both positive and negative aspects of an organisation’s culture or work practices, “ Morris said. “Our experience to date is that exit interviews can certainly help improve staff retention. We would therefore recommend an employer does introduce them if they don’t already.”