Survey Shows Majority of Companies Act on Feedback from Departing Employees
TORONTO, March 29, 2016 /CNW/ - Many employers are taking their workers' parting words to heart, new research from staffing firm OfficeTeam suggests. More than half (54 per cent) of human resources (HR) managers said their company commonly acts on feedback from exit interviews.
When asked how they follow up on information gleaned from these meetings, 46 per cent of respondents stated they address comments about management. Another 20 per cent make changes to the work environment, while 14 per cent update job descriptions and 10 per cent review employee salaries.
HR managers whose companies conduct exit interviews were asked, "How often does your company act on information gathered during exit interviews with departing employees?" Their responses:
| Very often |
22% |
| Somewhat often |
32% |
| Not very often |
33% |
| Never |
12% |
| 99%* |
HR managers whose companies act on information gathered during exit interviews were also asked, "Which of the following actions do you most commonly take based on information gathered from exit interviews?" Their responses:
| Discuss feedback regarding management |
46% |
| Make changes to work environment/corporate culture |
20% |
| Update job descriptions |
14% |
| Review employee salaries |
10% |
| Review employee benefits |
8% |
| Other |
1% |
| 99%* |
*Responses do not total 100 per cent due to rounding.
"While losing a high-performing employee can hurt a team or business, companies must recognize the opportunity it offers to gain valuable insight into improving their organizational structure or culture," said Koula Vasilopoulos, a district president for OfficeTeam. "Departing workers can offer firsthand feedback that current staff may not be as willing to share which can help companies deal directly with issues and may mitigate further turnover down the road."
OfficeTeam offers some do's and don'ts for employers when conducting exit interviews:
- Do time it well. Consider scheduling the meeting on one of the worker's last days. Keep the conversation brief and professional.
- Don't make it awkward. Because departing employees may be uncomfortable discussing certain subjects with their immediate supervisor, have an HR representative conduct one-on-one meetings in a private setting.
- Do cover the right topics. Ask general questions about why the worker is leaving, what the person liked and disliked at the company, and recommendations for improvements.
- Don't get defensive. Avoid correcting or confronting the person. Listen carefully and gather as many details as possible.
- Do be upfront. Explain that any information provided can help to better the organization and will be kept confidential.
- Don't brush things off. Give all comments that are shared the proper attention. Also check for patterns in feedback collected from employees, which can signal persistent problems.
About the Research
The survey of HR managers was developed by OfficeTeam. It was conducted by an independent research firm and includes responses from more than 200 HR managers at Canadian companies with 20 or more employees.
About OfficeTeam
OfficeTeam, a Robert Half company, is the nation's leading staffing service specializing in the temporary placement of highly skilled office and administrative support professionals. The company has more than 300 locations worldwide. For more information, including job search services, visit officeteam.ca. Follow @RobertHalf_CAN on Twitter and the OfficeTeam Take Note® blog for additional workplace advice and hiring trends.
Contact: Naz Araghian
416.865.2140
[email protected]
SOURCE OfficeTeam
Image with caption: "Majority of companies act on the information garnered in exit interviews. (CNW Group/OfficeTeam)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160329_C5516_PHOTO_EN_651763.jpg
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