One of the simplest ways to find solutions for improving employee motivation is by conducting exit interviews. You don’t want to reach this point, but sometimes it happens.

If you are at this point, you want to know why the person decided to leave. You may find out valuable information that can help you make changes to improve the motivation of your current employees.  

Sometimes is not an easy discussion because the person leaving just wants to move on to the next chapter, and also because you might hear unpleasant things or complaints. 

If an employee leaves because he or she has complaints about the job or the company, you give them a chance to express these complaints to you and discuss them.

On one hand, you may find out new things and have an opportunity to make changes that will benefit your current employees. On the other hand, they may change their perception after discussing with you and leave with a more positive impression.

Since former employees play a big role in shaping the employer brand, it’s important to take the time to find out the thoughts and opinions of those who leave.

Even if they leave for reasons unrelated to your company, you can still gather valuable information from them. For example, you can ask them what they would have preferred to be different in their jobs, and to identify both the positive and negative aspects of their experience of being in your company.

Knowing what they appreciated about their jobs is also essential. You can use this information to maintain, and maybe amplify, those aspects for the current employees.  

Every person is unique and has different expectations and perceptions about how things are and how they should be. But if you find yourself in situations where you agree with the former employee’s perspective, then you have just identified what needs to change in your company.

This is your opportunity to improve the situations that affect employee motivation and to avoid repeating the past.

Have you benefited from the exit interviews you’ve conducted so far?