Employee Rights and the Importance of Exit Interviews

Your fired employees might be your best whistleblowers. 🤯 It sounds counterintuitive, right? Many companies skip exit interviews for terminated employees, believing they have "nothing useful to say." But what if that's a massive oversight, missing out on vital intelligence for your compliance program? In my latest blog post, I get into a the all too typical scenario: 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗛𝗥 𝘀𝗮𝘆𝘀, "𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿?" 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁? I’ll explain the crucial reasons why every terminated employee deserves an exit interview, even those dismissed for cause. You'll discover: → How information from terminated employees can expose hidden misconduct and toxic culture. → A real-world example of how a fired employee's interview led to uncovering another instance of misconduct within the company. → Actionable steps for your HR and Compliance teams to implement this game-changing practice. Don't let valuable insights walk out the door! This isn't just about closure; it's about building a stronger, more resilient compliance program. 🧠 Rethink your exit interview strategy and read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/eQAAn_Ye #ExitInterview #Compliance #HR #CorporateEthics #RiskManagement #EmployeeExperience #HRBestPractices #ComplianceProgram #SpeakUpCulture #DataInsights #BusinessStrategy #ComplianceOfficer #HumanResources #Investigations #FraudPrevention #CorporateCulture 

The exit interview that changed everything started with "I wasn't going to say anything, but..." Rachel had already signed with her new company. Desk cleaned. Badge turned in. Just this last formality. HR asked the standard questions. She gave the standard answers. "Great opportunity." "Ready for new challenges." Then, as she stood to leave, something shifted. "Actually... can I share something?" What followed was 47 minutes of truth. About the VP who took credit for her innovation framework. The one that saved $3M in operational costs. The one he pitched to the board as his "weekend brainstorm." About the promotion that kept moving. "After this project." "Next quarter." "Once we stabilize." Two years of promises that never happened. About the meeting where they discussed her replacement. While she was still in the room. Like she'd already become invisible. HR took notes. Asked follow-up questions. "Why didn't you escalate this?" Rachel almost laughed. "To who? His boss, who calls him 'a visionary'?" "To HR, who just last month said we need to 'assume positive intent'?" But here's what happened next: HR pulled six months of exit data. Rachel wasn't alone. Seven others had left that VP's team. All high performers under similar circumstances. All too polite to say it until they were already gone. The pattern was right there. "I'm seeking growth" meant "I'm blocked here." "Looking for a new challenge" meant "I don't feel valued." Three months later, that VP was "pursuing other opportunities." Rachel was already thriving at her new company. Where her ideas had her own name on them. Where promises had dates attached. Here's what most companies miss about exit interviews: The most valuable feedback comes after the decision is final. When politeness finally gives way to truth. When there's nothing left to lose. But by then, your best people are using their talents somewhere else. Every "I wasn't going to say anything, but..." is a flashing neon warning sign that says, "Broken Culture Here." Because if people only feel safe telling the truth on their way out, what aren't they telling you while they're still there? And who's leaving next because of it?

The most expensive conversation in business? The exit interview you didn't understand. Last quarter, a Director gave their notice at a Fortune 500 company. Exit interview: 'Better opportunity.' Real cost: $213,000 in replacement costs. Actual reason: Found in their team's quiet resignations three months later. Let me decode what's really happening in your exit interviews: When they say: "I found a better opportunity" They mean: - "I couldn't see my future here" - "My ideas died in meetings" - "I watched mediocrity get promoted" When they say: "Work-life balance" They mean: - "My boundaries weren't respected" - "The urgent always beat the important" - "Burnout was treated as dedication" When they say: "Higher compensation" They mean: - "I don't see my value reflected here" - "I had to leave to level up" - "Someone else saw my worth first" When they say: "It's not personal" They mean: - "It's deeply personal" - "I stopped believing in the mission" - "The gap between what we say and what we do is too wide" Here's what nobody tells you about Employee Value Proposition (EVP) work: Your real EVP lives in these translations. Not in your job posts. Not in your careers page. Not in your culture deck. It lives in the space between what people say and what they mean. Want to build an EVP that works? Start with truth. Want to keep your best talent? Learn to hear what they're not saying. What's the most common exit interview response you've heard? Drop it below - let's decode it.

What others won’t tell you about exit interviews: They’re not just a formality... They are a gold mine of information. • They identify hidden issues. • They improve engagement. • They provide closure. Here's why: • Insights: Uncover reasons for departures. • Trust: Commit to changes and improvement. • Perspectives: See issues with a new POV. • Trends: Spot patterns and problems. • Solutions: Discover actionable ideas. You might be tempted to dismiss the need for exit interviews. You might make excuses, such as "everyone leaves sooner or later" or "they won't have anything constructive to say." You might be afraid of hard truths. Whatever the reason, don't shy away from the candid, unfiltered feedback. And don't outsource the task to HR, if at all possible. Consider these strategies to get the most out of exit interviews: 💡 Create Comfort: ↳ Take the person out for coffee or lunch. ↳ Listen carefully to understand, not judge. 💡 Ask the Right Questions: ↳ Favor open-ended questions. ↳ Dive deeper than "Why are you leaving?" 💡 Act on the Data: ↳ Track improvements. ↳ Use the feedback to drive meaningful change. 💡 Ensure Info Remains Private: ↳ Encourage honest, open feedback. ↳ Guarantee that feedback will remain private. 💡 Improve Future Hiring Practices: ↳ Refine JDs and recruitment strategies. ↳ Improve onboarding to support new hires. 💡 Don't Try to Retain the Person ↳ Wish the person success and happiness. ↳ Respect the person's decision/career path. As leaders, we should have regular conversations with our team, gaining insight and ideas for improvement. However, exit interviews often provide a few eye-opening truths. But even when they don't, they signal to the person and team you truly value their contributions. PS. Do you conduct exit interviews? 🔔 Follow Chris Cotter for more on leadership.

Most companies have exit interviews. Few use them well. Two weeks ago, I wrote about stay interviews, and I noticed that this subject garnered much attention. Today, I am writing about Exit Interviews. They are often treated as a formality—but done right, they’re a goldmine of insight. When someone walks out the door, they carry with them unfiltered truth about your culture, leadership, and processes. 💡 The key? Ask better questions—and actually listen to the answers. * Here are five powerful ways to approach exit interviews: 🔹 Focus on learning, not defending. Create a safe, neutral space. This is not the time to justify decisions or shift blame. 🔹 Ask open-ended questions like: • What made you accept working with us? • What made you start looking for a new role? • Did you feel your work was valued here? • How would you describe our leadership style? • What would have made you stay? • Is there anything you didn’t feel safe sharing while employed? 🔹 Use a third party, when possible. People are more honest when HR, a consultant, or a peer—not their manager—conducts the interview. 🔹 Track themes over time. One story is anecdotal. Ten similar stories? That’s a pattern. 🔹 Close the loop. If someone bravely shares feedback, acknowledge it and reflect internally. Exit interviews should inform strategy, not just sit in a folder. 🎯 Want to improve retention, engagement, and culture? Start by learning from those leaving. Their reasons might hold the key to keeping others. #PeopleOps #HRLeadership #Culture #ExitInterview #EmployeeExperience #Retention #LeadershipDevelopment