Businesses are on a hiring spree during the Great Resignation of 2021, with many throwing out signing bonuses, lowering their standard qualifications, tapping boomerang employees and taking a harder look at their “enthusiastic stayers.” As retention efforts heat up, you’ll probably hear more about the “stay interview.”
Stay interviews are informal conversations
Informal and conversational
- You’ll want to know from your employee what they enjoy about work, but also what could be better
- It should also be more of a two-way dialogue rather than an interview
- Don’t come in with a ton of questions asking what your employee thinks needs improvement without providing your own perspective
How managers can stay accountable
Act on the feedback you receive from your employees
- Thank the employee for their time
- Generate a clear sense of what the employee can expect will be different following the discussion
- Provide resources to take action on feedback
- Make employees feel like they matter
What to ask in a stay interview
Stay interviews should focus on how your employee feels about the work they do every day, the value of their contributions, and how they feel within the organization.
- Ask them questions about what excites them to come into work, their impact at work, and what they want to do more of.
Ask What Would Make Your Employee Leave
During the Great Resignation, managers should ask their employees what it would take for them to leave the company.
- As a supervisor, it’s your job to bring this feedback to the larger organization to see how you can provide the tools, resources, or opportunities your employee isn’t currently getting.
