Most organizations—especially in the technology sector—fail to use exit interviews effectively. The problem is not a lack of process, but a lack of intent. These conversations are often treated as formalities rather than strategic opportunities to understand why talent leaves.
Exit interviews should not be about last-minute retention efforts. They must focus on the employee’s aspirations and on what their next employer is offering that the current organization is not. Compensation is rarely the sole driver. Employees leave because they seek meaningful challenges, faster growth, and exposure to new roles—opportunities they no longer see internally.
Critically, exit interviews should be conducted face to face by the employee’s direct manager, not delegated entirely to HR. While HR plays an important role, managers are far better positioned to understand the business context, the technology, and the realities of the role. Yet in most organizations, HR alone conducts these discussions, resulting in superficial insights and lost intelligence.
When managers lead exit conversations, the feedback can be aggregated and presented to senior leadership to reveal how competitors are structuring roles, building capabilities, and attracting talent. This intelligence is invaluable. Organizations that ignore it will continue to lose people for reasons they claim they “didn’t see coming.”
THE PULSE by Sivakumar Gopal 