Stay interviews

What is a stay interview?

A stay interview is a retention tool where a manager or HR representative meets with an employee and asks questions about their work satisfaction to gauge what keeps them around and what might tempt them to leave the organization.

How should HR and managers approach stay interviews?

Stay interviews can be standardized through check-in meetings scheduled at regular intervals, such as annually, or can be implemented as needed, meeting with employees who are believed to be at risk of leaving. To conduct a stay interview effectively, a manager or HR representative should approach the employee in a positive and conversational way during a private meeting. You can open the dialogue by telling the employee you’d like to know how you can support them to make working at the organization a great experience. Ask the employee standardized, open-ended questions and listen carefully, documenting their responses. Then think of ways you can work to retain the employee based on their feedback. Schedule a follow-up meeting to discuss areas the employee identified need improvement and to determine next steps.

What questions should a stay interview include?

Stay interviews should include standardized questions, meaning all employees should be asked the same questions. Some question examples could include:

• • What are the best parts about working here?

• • What are some things about working here that you wish you could change?

• • Do you feel there is room for you to grow in your current role?

• • What resources can the company provide that would enable you to do your job more effectively?

Using a Stay Interview Form is a great way to keep track of standardized questions and to document employee responses.

Resources:

• • Stay Interview Form

• Employee Retention Survey

In today’s labour market, retention and employee satisfaction are critical. Our blog, How to Conduct a Stay Interview to Boost Retention and Engagement (With Sample Questions) can prepare you to assess job satisfaction in your workforce. Leverage our experience and achieve your HR goals with help from our team of HR experts.