When a valued team member decides to move on, it can feel like a blow. Especially for a small business where every role carries weight. But rather than viewing an employee’s exit as the end of the road, it’s worth considering what it might teach you.

Exit interviews are one of the most underused tools in the SME toolkit. Done properly, they offer a rare and honest look into your organisation’s culture, management and working practices – from the perspective of someone who’s seen it all.

With the right questions, approach and follow-up, exit interviews can give you the insight you need to make meaningful improvements and reduce future turnover.

What’s the Point of an Exit Interview?

The main aim of an exit interview is simple: to understand why someone has chosen to leave and what their experience was like working for your business. But beyond that, it’s a chance to spot patterns, identify gaps and fine-tune how you support your people.

This isn’t just about solving problems after someone leaves. Over time, the insights gathered from exit interviews can help you:

• Strengthen staff engagement
• Address issues before they lead to resignations
• Improve your recruitment and onboarding processes
• Build a culture that people want to be part of

When you gather feedback in a structured, thoughtful way—and then act on it—it shows your team that you’re listening and that you care about creating a better place to work.

Exit Interviews for Small Businesses

For SMEs, where one resignation can have a big operational impact, retention is a top priority. Exit interviews can help you get ahead of turnover by revealing the root causes behind it.

You may discover that staff are leaving because of unclear expectations, limited career development, or workload pressure. These are issues that often go unspoken during day-to-day operations, but they come to the surface when someone has one foot out the door.

Getting honest feedback at this point can be far more candid than what you’d hear in regular appraisals. And while it can be tough to hear, it’s exactly the kind of feedback that helps you grow as an employer.

Asking the Right Questions

A good exit interview is about more than ticking off a list of generic questions. To get meaningful responses, you need to create a space where the employee feels safe, respected and free to speak honestly.

This means approaching the conversation with curiosity rather than defensiveness. It’s not the time to challenge their opinions or explain things away. The goal is to listen.

Here are some questions that typically lead to useful insights:

• What prompted you to start looking for another role?
• How would you describe your experience working here?
• Were there any aspects of the job you found particularly challenging or frustrating?
• Did you feel supported by your manager and colleagues?
• Were your skills and abilities fully utilised?
• What could we have done to encourage you to stay?
• Would you recommend this company to others?

While some employees may hold back, many are willing to offer constructive feedback, especially if they know it could help improve the workplace for their former teammates.

What to Do With the Feedback

An exit interview is only valuable if the feedback is captured, reviewed and followed up with action. If the conversation is had and then forgotten, the opportunity is lost.

Start by identifying recurring themes. Are people leaving for similar reasons? Are the same departments or managers being mentioned? Are there frustrations around pay, recognition, communication or development?

Even small snippets of feedback can point to bigger patterns. Perhaps someone mentions that they felt their achievements weren’t acknowledged. On its own, that’s one person’s view. But if several leavers say the same thing, it’s a clear signal that recognition needs attention.

Once trends are identified, decide what changes are realistic and impactful. Some issues may be easy fixes, like improving handover processes. Others might take time and investment, such as reviewing salaries or offering better career progression. What matters is being transparent with your team about the steps you’re taking and why.

Turn Departures Into Positive Change With The HR Dept

Implementing a structured and consistent exit interview process can feel daunting if you’re short on time or resources. That’s where we can help.

At The HR Dept, we work with SMEs to design and carry out effective exit interviews – either as part of a broader HR strategy or as standalone support when an employee decides to leave. We also offer guidance on how to analyse that feedback and use it to shape meaningful changes in your workplace. Whether you’re aiming to reduce turnover, improve morale or simply better understand your team, we’ll help you turn leaver feedback into a force for good.

Our support goes beyond the interview itself—we’re here to help you build a stronger, more engaged team that sticks around.

If you’d like expert support in setting up or improving your exit interview process, get in touch with your local HR Dept office today. We’re here to help you build a workplace that people are proud to be part of.