“People don’t quit companies; they quit managers.” – You’ve heard this a hundred times. But have you ever wondered what else they’re quitting? Poor work culture, lack of growth, toxic environments—there’s a whole breakup list. And yet, many companies still don’t take exit interviews seriously.
So, should you even conduct exit interviews? Or is it just another HR ritual that leads to no real change? Let’s break it down.
What’s the Point of Exit Interviews?
Imagine this: Your top performer resigns out of the blue. The resignation email is polite, thanking the company for all the opportunities. But within a few months, you see them thriving at a competitor’s firm. What went wrong?
Was it the boss? The pay? A toxic teammate? Or maybe they were just looking for something new?
Exit interviews are your final chance to get unfiltered, honest feedback—and trust me, it’s worth more than your annual employee survey.
Why Bother? The Stats Say It All
📌 47% of employees leave because of poor company culture. (McKinsey)
📌 75% of departing employees say they’d have stayed if their concerns were addressed earlier. (SHRM)
📌 Companies with structured exit interviews reduce regrettable attrition by 30%. (Gallup)
If your HR strategy is about hiring better people and keeping them longer, ignoring exit interviews is like driving blindfolded—you’re moving forward, but you have no idea what’s ahead.
The “HR Knows It All” Myth
Many HR leaders think they already know why employees leave. “It’s always about money, right?”
Wrong.
💬 A CHRO at a leading IT firm once told us:
“We assumed employees were leaving for higher salaries, so we increased pay scales. But our exit interviews revealed it wasn’t about money—it was about workload and manager behavior.”
If you don’t ask, you’ll never know. And if you don’t know, you’ll fix the wrong problem.
What Do Employees Actually Say in Exit Interviews?
Let’s get real. Exit interviews uncover unspoken truths that employees are too afraid to say while they’re still on the payroll.
Here’s what AceNgage found in over 500,000 exit interviews across industries:
| Common Reason for Leaving | % of Employees Citing It |
|---|---|
| Lack of Career Growth | 42% |
| Poor Manager Behavior | 38% |
| Toxic Work Culture | 31% |
| Work-Life Balance Issues | 29% |
| Compensation Concerns | 27% |
Notice how salary is at the bottom? Most HR leaders assume it’s the number one reason, but reality begs to differ.
The “We Conduct Exit Interviews, But Nothing Changes” Problem
You might be thinking, “We already do exit interviews, but they don’t really help.”
That’s because most companies don’t act on the feedback.
Case Study: How One Company Fixed Its Attrition Problem
📌 A large BFSI firm was losing mid-level managers at an alarming rate. HR assumed it was because of industry competition.
🚀 AceNgage conducted in-depth exit interviews and found that 63% of managers left due to lack of recognition and growth opportunities.
💡 The company introduced a managerial mentorship program and internal promotions pipeline.
📉 Result? Attrition dropped by 45% within a year.
Exit interviews work only if you act on what you learn. Otherwise, they’re just a formality.
What Questions Should You Ask in an Exit Interview?
The key to a great exit interview is asking the right questions—not just ticking boxes.
💡 Instead of: Why are you leaving? (which gets the usual “better opportunity” response), ask:
✅ What would have made you stay?
✅ What’s one thing we could have done better?
✅ Would you ever consider rejoining us? Why/why not?
✅ Did you feel heard and valued in this company?
✅ How would you describe our work culture in one word?
The last question usually brings out gold—words like “stressful”, “toxic”, “innovative”, or “supportive” tell you everything you need to know.
The Exit Interview Alternatives (That Don’t Work)
Some companies ditch exit interviews and try other methods to understand attrition. Spoiler alert: Most of them don’t work.
🚫 Pulse surveys? Employees sugarcoat responses because they fear HR repercussions.
🚫 Manager feedback? Managers often don’t know the real reason their employees leave (or won’t admit it).
🚫 LinkedIn stalking? You’ll just see they joined another company—without knowing why.
Exit interviews are the only structured way to get honest feedback before employees walk out the door.
So, Should You Conduct Exit Interviews?
Short answer: Yes.
Long answer: Only if you’re going to use the insights to fix problems.
🔹 If you think exit interviews are just another HR checkbox, skip them. You’ll get generic, meaningless answers.
🔹 If you genuinely want to reduce attrition and improve work culture, make exit interviews strategic.
AceNgage’s approach?
We don’t just conduct exit interviews—we decode them. With AI-driven analysis + human intelligence, we help organizations identify patterns, predict risks, and fix what’s broken.
Final Thought: The CEO Test
If you’re still debating exit interviews, do this simple test:
Ask your CEO one question—“Would you want to know why our best people are leaving?”
💡 If the answer is yes, then exit interviews aren’t just important—they’re essential.
Over to You: Are Your Exit Interviews Just a Formality?
Drop a comment below 👇 or let’s chat about how AceNgage can make exit interviews actually work for your company. 🚀
