Stay Interviews
When was the last time you interviewed your employees to learn about their career aspirations and why they work at your company? If it was way back when you hired the person then it might be time to think about conducting “stay interviews” with your team.
A stay interview is an opportunity to ask for employee feedback to learn more about their experience with the organization, what keeps them motivated and engaged (or not!). You can discover what employees like about their role and what they would like to change.
Conducting a stay interview can be a daunting prospect - but it doesn’t need to become an invite for employees to complain if its handled thoughtfully and with respect. Employees need to know their opinions matter and that employers will try to make improvements based on the feedback.
It may take time to earn the respect and trust needed to ensure that employees open up about deeper issues that they have hesitated to bring up before. Over time, if you can demonstrate that you really do want to hear the good, the bad and the ugly you will earn that trust!
It can also be a way to start a conversation with an under-performer about any skill development or tools they need to perform at a higher level.
A great stay interview is mostly about listening. You only need a few questions to get started:
Q. What do you look forward to each day?
This gets the conversation off to a positive start and gets the employee engaged. Follow up questions could include asking for more examples or sharing your own favorite part of the day.
Q. What are some areas you want to learn more about and why?
For most people, work is not just a job. Employees are interested in learning and in developing their careers. Ask about the skills needed to fulfill their career aspirations and what you can do to support.
Q. What keeps you working here?
Give the person time to consider. It’s a way to understand what the person values most about their job.
Q. What can I start, stop or continue doing to make your job easier or better?
Listen carefully here. This is a great way to learn what the person does and doesn’t need from you.
Here are some tips to make the most out of a stay interview.
Make it important. Schedule it outside of your regular check ins or performance reviews.
But, keep it light and informal too. Let the employee know the discussion is about how their job is going, how they enjoy working at the company and what you can do to support them - it’s a time to listen.
Keep the conversation going . Don’t shut down the employee if they bring up something you disagree with or potentially don’t have the budget for.
Thank the person for taking the time to speak with you. Set expectations that this is an opportunity to listen but not every suggestion can be acted on.
Identify any issues that were brought up multiple times - be creative in solving for issues such as requests for learning and development that might not be in the budget. Maybe you could launch a n internal mentorship program where newer employees can learn from more experienced co-workers.
Follow up is critical. Let your team know if any desired changes could or couldn’t be made and why.
Open door policy. Let your team know you have an open door (or open Zoom) policy and welcome suggestions and feedback.
Stay interviews help your employee understand that you recognize and appreciate them and are taking an active role in their professional development. They also help you discover any “at risk” employees who might feel like they have plateaued in their current position.
Replacing your best employees can be time-consuming and costly. Stay interviews are a solid strategy to help you retain your business’s top performers.
About FutureSense
FutureSense is a management consulting firm that provides integrated solutions to build and sustain human capital capacity. The firm can work with you by offering support and guidance to manage your workforce. To learn more about FutureSense, please visit FutureSense.com.