---
name: exit-interview-template
description: "Creates exit interview question templates with themed categories for identifying retention issues, improvement areas, and actionable insights. Use when an employee is departing."
allowed-tools: Read Write Glob
metadata:
  author: matthewhitcham
  version: "1.0"
---

# Exit Interview Template

## When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:
- Create a structured exit interview questionnaire
- Build a system for capturing departing employee insights
- Design an exit survey for employees who prefer written feedback
- Analyze patterns from multiple exit interviews to improve retention

**DO NOT** use this skill for termination scripts, layoff communications, or employee engagement surveys. This is for voluntary departure exit interviews.

---

## Core Principle

EXIT INTERVIEWS ARE THE MOST HONEST FEEDBACK YOU WILL EVER GET — ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS AND ACTUALLY USE THE ANSWERS TO FIX PROBLEMS.

---

## Phase 1: Brief

### Required Inputs

| Input | What to Ask | Default |
|-------|------------|---------|
| **Format** | "Live interview, written survey, or both?" | Live interview with written option |
| **Interviewer** | "Who will conduct the interview? (manager, HR, founder, third party)" | Founder or HR lead |
| **Company size** | "How many employees?" | 5-25 |
| **Known retention issues** | "Are there recurring reasons people leave?" | Unknown — gathering data |
| **Confidentiality level** | "Will responses be shared with the departing employee's manager?" | Aggregated themes only, not attributed quotes |
| **Departing role** | "What role is the person leaving?" | General template |

**GATE: Confirm brief before proceeding.**

---

## Phase 2: Design

### Question Categories

Build the interview from these categories:

1. **Role and Responsibilities** — was the job what they expected?
2. **Management and Leadership** — relationship with direct manager and leadership
3. **Growth and Development** — learning, promotion, career path
4. **Culture and Environment** — team dynamics, inclusion, work-life balance
5. **Compensation and Benefits** — pay, perks, and total package
6. **Reason for Leaving** — the direct question with follow-ups
7. **Recommendations** — what would they change?

### Question Design Rules

- Open-ended questions over yes/no — "What would have made you stay?" not "Were you happy?"
- Maximum 15 questions for a 30-minute interview
- Include 2-3 scale questions (1-10) for trackable metrics
- End with a forward-looking question that leaves the relationship positive
- Never ask questions designed to guilt the departing employee

**GATE: Present the question list and wait for approval.**

---

## Phase 3: Build

### Deliverables

**1. Interview Question Template**
- Complete question list organized by category
- Follow-up probes for each question
- Interviewer notes on what to listen for

**2. Written Survey Version**
- Same questions adapted for self-completion
- Rating scales added where appropriate
- Estimated completion time: 10-15 minutes

**3. Interviewer Guide**
- How to set the tone (appreciative, not defensive)
- Active listening prompts
- What NOT to say (do not make counter-offers during exit interviews)
- Note-taking template for consistent documentation

**4. Data Tracking Sheet**
- Log responses across multiple exit interviews
- Theme categorization for pattern identification
- Quarterly summary template

---

## Phase 4: Polish

### Analysis Framework

After 5+ exit interviews, analyze for:
- Top 3 recurring themes in reasons for leaving
- Manager-specific patterns (are departures concentrated under one leader?)
- Compensation mentions frequency (signals pay competitiveness issues)
- Actionable recommendations that appear multiple times

### Retention Action Template

Convert exit interview insights into a 3-column action plan:
- **Finding** — what the data shows
- **Action** — specific change to make
- **Owner and deadline** — who does it and by when

---

## Example 1: Live Interview (30 minutes, 12 questions)

Key questions:
- "What prompted you to start looking for a new role?"
- "On a scale of 1-10, how supported did you feel by your manager? What would have raised that number?"
- "Was there a moment when you thought about staying? What would have tipped that decision?"
- "If you could change one thing about working here, what would it be?"
- "Would you recommend this company to a friend? Why or why not?"

## Example 2: Written Exit Survey (10 minutes, 8 questions + scales)

Mix of 5 open-ended questions and 3 rating scales (manager support, growth satisfaction, overall experience). Includes optional comment boxes for sensitive topics.

---

## Anti-Patterns

- **Manager conducting their own report's exit interview** — the departing employee will not be honest. Use a neutral party.
- **Collecting data without acting on it** — if three people say the same thing and nothing changes, exit interviews are theater.
- **Interrogation tone** — this is not a deposition. Create psychological safety for honest answers.
- **Asking only about the negative** — include "What did you enjoy most?" to get a balanced picture and end positively.
- **Skipping exits for small teams** — small companies lose the most from each departure. Every exit interview matters.

---

## Recovery

- **Employee refuses exit interview:** Offer the written survey as a lower-pressure alternative. Respect their decision if they still decline.
- **Employee only complains about one person:** Document it, but probe for specifics. Ask "Can you give me an example?" to distinguish legitimate concerns from personality conflicts.
- **No patterns yet (first few exits):** Start tracking anyway. Patterns emerge after 5-10 data points.
- **Departing employee asks to stay:** This is not the time for counter-offers. Thank them and redirect to the hiring manager for a separate conversation.
