Offboarding Employees 101: 5 Vital Questions to Ask During Exit Interviews in Malaysia

If you’re looking for some direct, honest, and constructive feedback on your organisation as a whole, there is arguably no better time than exit interviews. 

Employees who are already set on leaving the company have no incentive to sugarcoat their comments, which means that it’s a rare opportunity for employers to discover what their soon-to-be ex employees really think of the company as whole. 

Of course, you’ll need to ask the right questions in order to truly get a proper understanding of how your employees’ experience at the organisation has been. And of course, we’ve compiled 5 of the most important questions that you must ask employees during exit interview. 

1. Why are you leaving?

The first question, naturally. The reasoning behind an employee’s departure can range from personal reasons (location, change in career direction, etc.) to more relevant info to employers such as remuneration, career progression, management styles, or even the culture at the company. 

It’s important to ask departing employees about what prompted them to search for new jobs — or if they were headhunted by prospective employers. At the end of the day, this question will help you understand whether your organisation is offering the right opportunities, remuneration, or even perks and benefits to attract the best talent — or if you’re even offering the right sort of jobs for the modern workforce. 

2. How would you describe your time with us?

Remember: ex employees are one of the most powerful forms of advertising when it comes to recruiting talents for your company and employer branding. When conducting exit interviews, be sure to ask departing individuals to describe the work culture at the company — and if there is anything that can be improved. 

This helps employers and HR decision makers to identify certain trends that may require correction/improvement. One single data point (from a single employee) won’t be enough, but once you’ve included this question in your standard exit interview set of questions, you should be better equipped to improve the overall culture at the company (if required). 

3. Could the company have done more to persuade you to stay?

This should be an honest gesture to help understand where your company stands compared to other players in the industry — while establishing constructive grounds for the company to review and work on. As such, it’s useful to ask departing individuals if there was something that the company could have done to change their mind. 

This shouldn’t be seen as a hostile statement. Instead, it’s simply a direct question that employees can choose to answer with candour — which can then help employers design/improve retention strategies with regards to the overall management of the workforce. 

4. Were you happy with how you were managed? 

Another question that might be… difficult to answer. However, it’s important to get feedback on departing employees’ experience with management — ranging from line managers all the way to senior leadership at the company. 

Similar to point 3, this isn’t a roundabout way to convince employees to stay. Rather, it’s another way to gain honest, unfiltered feedback to help the company grow and improve in the future. 

5. What were the best and worst aspects of the job?

Every job has its ups and downs, and every individual may have a different experience at the company. That’s why it’s useful ask for the best — and worst — parts of every departing employee’s experience at your company. As you compile feedback from more and more individuals, you’ll be able to make more informed decisions on future key HR decisions — and attract and retain the best talents for the team.