Do you want to improve employee retention and prevent surprise resignations? Interviewing employee prospects is a crucial part of any business’s hiring process, but did you know that interviewing your current employees could benefit your practice as well?
Employees who choose to leave your employment may eagerly tell you why they’re leaving, but employees who stay are rarely asked why they’re sticking around or what they find challenging about their jobs. Not offering a platform for employees to express the pros – and especially the cons – can often lead to high absenteeism and turnovers in your staff.
Instead of scrambling after the fact to figure out what went wrong, take a proactive approach.
Some benefits of “stay” interviews include:
- Employees will know you care about their thoughts and feelings regarding work.
- Trust will be built between you and your employees, leading to stronger loyalty and commitment.
- Communication will be strengthened between you and your staff.
- Frequent conversations between you and your staff about their current stance on work will become the standard in your practice.
- Viable information needed to make positive changes within the workplace will be exchanged.
- Patterns and data related to employee turnover rates will be revealed.
- You will identify unhappy employees who might need more support.
Employers can build a positive workplace culture and increase employee psychological safety by encouraging transparency and providing multiple avenues for employees to voice their ideas and feedback without fear of retaliation. In addition to stay interviews, an employer can host team meetings, schedule individual one-on-ones or set aside office hours dedicated to addressing issues early on. With an open-door policy, employees will feel heard, contributing to higher job satisfaction and a culture of engaged employees.
Use the following tips and five stay interview questions to get the powerful information you need to improve your workplace and hold onto your top performers.
Tips for your meeting:
- Create a space where the discussion can be unhurried and honest.
- Employer/manager should be open to accepting both positive and negative feedback.
- Document the conversation and follow through with any areas of concern.
- Don’t just listen. Take meaningful action when necessary and communicate with the team.
- Schedule time to check back in with your employee.