The hidden knowledge of leaving colleagues

Voluntarily leaving colleagues are usually clear loss or clear relief to employers. Because of the resulting difficulties, it is often overlooked that the termination of an employment also provides an excellent opportunity for self-examination.

 One employee may have several reasons for termination. Low pay, poor work schedules, lack of progress, work-related stress or personal conflicts can lead to exit. Whatever the reason, termination is often a serious message to the employer: "You are not good enough. I have better options for myself than you."

Criticism from a leaving colleague is of great value. Active workers often express their opinions more cautiously so as not to compromise their acquired position and to avoid conflicts with their colleagues or leaders. However, those who have decided and announced their leaving are no longer bound by these considerations. The exiting person can afford to tell you about his/her (former) job experience. It is worth taking advantage of this opportunity to get acquainted with the true motivations and grievances of the leaving employee, the reasons for his dissatisfaction and change. The best way to do this is to make an interview with the leaving colleagues, within which they can express their views about the company.

In order for the leaving employee to be cooperative and truly informative, empathy and helpfulness are needed. Termination of an employement is often a difficult decision, changing a job is usually a burdening process. Pay particular attention to understanding and correctness. With some sympathy, we can achieve an honest conversation about the reasons why the colleague chose to exit. The exit interview can be really useful if the leaving person can be open and talk about real problems. This is much easier when the exit interview is performed by an HR specialist or at least a leader who is not a direct superior of the leaving employee. The ratio of the exit interview is workplace-related: to what extent would it be a personal interview and to what percentage would it be about filling out questionnaires, and what the latter would contain. If you are unsure and you do not have a HR colleague at your fingertips, feel free to look for a counsellor who helps you to contruct your processes!