Why an ‘Exit Interview’ is Too Late

Leadership Series

We’ve all heard of exit interviews—the final chat between an employer and a departing employee. It’s often framed as a way for the company to gather valuable insights about why someone is leaving, what went wrong, and what they could do better. But let’s be honest: By the time the exit interview rolls around, the employee has already made up their mind to leave. In fact, they’ve probably emotionally checked out long before that exit meeting. So, what’s the point of asking them why they’re leaving when it’s too late to change their mind?

The truth is, relying on exit interviews as your primary source of feedback about why employees are leaving is like putting a band-aid on a gaping wound. If an organization is constantly finding out about its problems through exit interviews, it signals a much deeper issue: a lack of proactive communication and a shaky company culture. It’s like a relationship—you don’t wait until your partner is halfway out the door to ask, “Hey, is something wrong?”