Motivating People: Exit Interviews, It's Never Too Late

03/06/07

Not long ago, a new car dealer hired my pal Rod, a consultant, to investigate high turnover in his service department. “You’ll hear lots of gripes about the older equipment,” he said, “but I can’t afford to upgrade it right now. I’m pretty sure, though, that they’re leaving because my equipment isn’t state of the art.”

Rod acknowledged his opinion but wasn’t prejudiced by it. The next day, he asked the HR manager for a list of employees who had quit during the last three years. Then he sent them a questionnaire and postpaid return envelope. Their answers surprised and upset his client.

More than 70 percent of the workers who returned the survey hadn’t left because of the equipment. They left because of the owner’s autocratic management style and because he constantly bypassed the chain of command. Every day, said departed employees, he’d tear through the shop like a tornado, barking orders, contradicting supervisors’ instructions, and generally turning the place on its ear. He jokingly called this “executive privilege.” Many workers called it quits.

Rod’s way of diagnosing the problem confirmed a universal management maxim: People rarely level with you when you give them an exit interview on their way out the door. As time passes, however, folks often develop not only a more objective view of their work experience with you but also the willingness to speak frankly about it, especially if you promise them anonymity.

So if you’re troubleshooting morale problems, consider using Rod’s approach. Poll the workers who’ve parted ways with your company during the past several years. They’ve distanced themselves from you for a reason, and elapsed time makes them more prone to tell you why it was, warts and all.

How did this business owner respond? Positively, as it turned out. He backed off on “executive privilege,” let his supervisors make more routine decisions, and saw his turnover drop below the norm despite his equipment.

When it comes to taking the pulse of your people, it’s never too late for an exit interview.

Having trouble getting people to stay with your company? Try Love ‘Em or Lose ‘Em: Getting Good People to Stay.