--- name: exit-interview description: Conduct and analyze exit interviews to understand departure reasons, improve retention, and close the employment relationship professionally. Use when processing separations, conducting departure interviews, analyzing exit data trends, or improving offboarding experience. Triggers on phrases like "exit interview", "departure interview", "offboarding interview", "separation interview", "why are you leaving", "exit survey", "exit data", "departure feedback", "leaving the company", "resignation feedback", "termination interview", "offboarding". --- # Exit Interviews & Offboarding Conduct meaningful exit interviews and manage professional, compliant offboarding processes. ## Workflow 1. Receive resignation or initiate separation: Document date, reason (initial), last day. 2. Begin offboarding checklist: Knowledge transfer, equipment return, access revocation. 3. Schedule exit interview: HR-conducted, within 5 business days of last day. 4. Conduct exit interview: Structured but conversational, focus on honest feedback. 5. Process exit: Final pay, benefits communication, COBRA, document retrieval. 6. Analyze exit data: Log responses, identify trends, compare to retention data. 7. Report findings: Aggregated insights to leadership with action recommendations. 8. Close loop: Communicate organizational changes driven by exit feedback. ## Exit Interview Questions ``` EXIT INTERVIEW QUESTION GUIDE =============================== OPENING: "Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. This conversation is confidential, and your honest feedback helps us improve. There are no right or wrong answers — we just want to understand your experience." SECTION 1: REASON FOR LEAVING 1. What is your primary reason for leaving? 2. What factors contributed most to your decision? 3. When did you start considering leaving? What triggered that thought? 4. Was there a specific event that accelerated your decision? 5. Did you apply internally before looking externally? If not, why not? SECTION 2: NEW OPPORTUNITY (if applicable) 6. Can you tell me about your next role? 7. What attracted you to the new opportunity? 8. What did the new opportunity offer that you felt was missing here? 9. Was compensation a significant factor? SECTION 3: ROLE AND WORK EXPERIENCE 10. Did your role match what was described during hiring? 11. What did you enjoy most about your work here? 12. What was the most challenging or frustrating aspect? 13. Did you have the tools, resources, and information to do your job well? 14. Was your workload manageable? SECTION 4: MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP 15. How would you describe your relationship with your direct manager? 16. Did your manager provide clear expectations and regular feedback? 17. Did your manager support your growth and development? 18. Did you feel comfortable raising concerns with your manager? 19. How would you rate communication from senior leadership? SECTION 5: CULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT 20. How would you describe the company culture? 21. Did you feel a sense of belonging here? 22. How would you rate work-life balance? 23. Did you feel recognized and appreciated for your contributions? 24. How would you rate collaboration and teamwork? SECTION 6: COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS 25. Did you feel your compensation was fair and competitive? 26. Were benefits a factor in your decision to leave or stay? 27. What, if anything, could we have done to retain you? SECTION 7: ONBOARDING AND DEVELOPMENT 28. How would you rate your onboarding experience? 29. Did you receive adequate training for your role? 30. What development opportunities were available? Were they sufficient? 31. Did you see a clear path for career growth here? SECTION 8: FINAL REFLECTIONS 32. Would you recommend this company as a great place to work? Why or why not? 33. Would you consider returning in the future? Under what conditions? 34. What is the one thing you wish you had known before joining? 35. If you were CEO for a day, what is the first thing you would change? 36. Is there anything else you'd like us to know? CLOSING: "Thank you for your honesty. Your feedback is valuable and will be used to improve the experience for current and future employees. We wish you the best in your next chapter." ``` ## Offboarding Checklist ``` OFFBOARDING CHECKLIST ====================== DAY OF RESIGNATION / SEPARATION NOTICE: HR ACTIONS: ☐ Document resignation/separation date and reason ☐ Determine last working day (per notice period or policy) ☐ Calculate accrued but unused PTO payout (per state law and policy) ☐ Determine rehire eligibility (voluntary, performance, conduct) ☐ Notify manager of offboarding timeline and responsibilities ☐ Begin exit interview scheduling EMPLOYEE ACTIONS: ☐ Submit formal resignation letter (if not already done) ☐ Discuss transition plan with manager ☐ Begin knowledge transfer documentation 1 WEEK BEFORE LAST DAY: HR ACTIONS: ☐ Confirm exit interview date and time ☐ Send offboarding reminders to employee (equipment return, final tasks) ☐ Notify payroll of separation date and final pay details ☐ Prepare benefits termination notice (COBRA, final contributions) ☐ Coordinate with IT for access revocation timing MANAGER ACTIONS: ☐ Finalize knowledge transfer plan ☐ Redistribute responsibilities to team members ☐ Schedule transition meetings ☐ Discuss performance and accomplishments (positive closure) ☐ If voluntary: Discuss reasons for leaving, retention possibilities (if genuine) ☐ Communicate departure to team (with employee's permission on timing and details) ON LAST DAY: HR ACTIONS: ☐ Conduct exit interview (if not done earlier) ☐ Process final paycheck (comply with state timing requirements) ☐ Provide benefits termination letter (health, retirement, other benefits) ☐ COBRA notification (if applicable) ☐ Collect company property (badge, laptop, equipment, keys, access cards) ☐ Revolve system access (email, HRIS, Slack, tools — coordinated with IT) ☐ Update HRIS: Employment status = Separated, separation date, reason ☐ Send farewell communication to team/company (if appropriate) ☐ Confirm rehire eligibility status in HRIS EMPLOYEE ACTIONS: ☐ Complete knowledge transfer documentation ☐ Return all company property ☐ Complete any remaining offboarding tasks ☐ Final check-in with manager ☐ Farewell to team (if desired) POST-DEPARTURE: WITHIN 3 BUSINESS DAYS: ☐ Final paycheck issued (per state law timing) ☐ COBRA notices mailed (within 14 days of coverage termination) ☐ 401(k) communication (account options, rollover information) ☐ Benefits coverage terminated in carrier systems ☐ Equipment returned and processed (IT confirmation) WITHIN 7 BUSINESS DAYS: ☐ Exit interview data logged and coded ☐ Manager debrief: Lessons learned, team impact, hiring needs ☐ Backfill decision: Replace, redistribute, or eliminate role ☐ Alumni records updated (if alumni program exists) ``` ## Exit Data Analysis ``` EXIT DATA ANALYSIS FRAMEWORK ============================== DATA CAPTURE: → Employee info: Name, role, department, manager, tenure, location, demographic → Separation info: Date, type (voluntary/involuntary), reason, rehire eligible → Exit interview responses: Coded themes and verbatim comments → Performance data: Last performance rating, promotion history → Engagement data: Last survey scores, pulse results CODING FRAMEWORK: PRIMARY REASON (select one): A. Better compensation B. Career advancement / growth C. Better job opportunity (role, company, industry) D. Management issues E. Work-life balance / burnout F. Relocation / personal G. Retirement H. Health / medical I. Company direction / strategy concern J. Culture / values misalignment K. Workload / resources L. Role change / elimination (involuntary) M. Performance (involuntary) N. Other: ____________ CONTRIBUTING FACTORS (select all that apply): → Compensation below market → Limited growth opportunities → Poor manager relationship → Lack of recognition → Excessive workload → Company direction unclear → Better benefits elsewhere → Proximity / commute → Team dynamics / culture → Technology / tools inadequate → Inadequate onboarding → Desire for remote / hybrid work QUARTERLY ANALYSIS: → Top 5 exit reasons (by count and %) → Exit rate by department (flag > 15%) → Exit rate by manager (flag > 2x team average) → Tenure analysis: When do people leave? (peak departure months) → Regrettable vs. non-regrettable breakdown → Correlation with engagement survey scores → Trend vs. prior quarters and year-over-year → Cost of turnover estimate (by role and level) ACTIONABLE INSIGHTS: → "34% of Engineering departures cite 'limited growth' — recommend career pathing program" → "Sales manager X has 30% team turnover vs. 12% average — recommend manager coaching" → "Peak departure at month 14 — recommend 12-month check-in program" → "Compensation cited by 28% — recommend market comp review for affected roles" ``` ## Integration Points - HRIS: Separation processing, rehire eligibility, final pay calculation - Payroll: Final paycheck processing, PTO payout, benefit deduction cessation - Benefits platforms: COBRA notification, coverage termination - IT systems: Access revocation, equipment tracking - ATS: Backfill job posting, rehire candidate processing - Alumni platforms: Alumni network enrollment, communication - Analytics: Exit data aggregation, trend analysis, reporting - Communication tools: Farewell communications, offboarding reminders ## Edge Cases - **Hostile departure**: Employee refuses exit interview; document attempts; use anonymous survey option - **Involuntary separation**: Modified exit interview (focus on process feedback, not role experience); legal review - **High-performer resignation**: Retention conversation before offboarding begins; genuine counter-offer if appropriate - **Mass departure** (multiple employees from same team): Pattern investigation; manager review; systemic issue identification - **International separations**: Local legal requirements; final pay timing; equipment return logistics - **Garden leave / extended notice**: Employee paid but not working; access management; transition planning