What Is an Exit Interview?

The exit interview is a conversation with team members who are about to leave the practice. It is your opportunity to gather essential information about team member satisfaction so you can improve the culture of your practice and reduce employee turnover. 

The exit interview is your chance to assess how former team members view your practice and their reason for leaving. It's not unusual for employees (such as dental hygienists) to leave a practice, whether it's to experience a new profession, a new city, or for a higher pay raise. The exit interview helps you to discover trends, both positive and negative, of your work environment.

Goals of the Exit Interview

It's easy to assume everyone loves the work they do — and that may be the case. However, your team members might not perceive their work the same way you do. Uncovering this disconnect can get to the heart of the problem. It also gives you great insight into how to make life at your practice better for all members of your team.

Here are some goals of the exit interview:

• Uncover what people like and don’t like about the culture of the practice
• Discover how people see their role in the practice
• Identify any problems you can fix, such as outdated technology or cumbersome operational procedures
• Learn how you stack up in terms of compensation offered by other practices
• Get ideas for innovations and improvements

The right exit interview sends the message that everyone’s input matters, including that of departing team members. This is your opportunity to communicate your appreciation for their contributions even as they move on to other practices. This can enhance the reputation of your practice, which is important not only to patients but also to people who may choose to join your team in the future.

Conducting the Exit Interview

Your team member has to be honest in order for you to get the best information. For them to be honest, they have to feel comfortable opening up — at least enough to provide genuine feedback.

Here are some general tips on how to create the right environment for a successful exit interview:

• Choose the right person to do the interview. The office manager can handle the exit conversation, but every practice is a bit different — if the doctor wants to handle the discussion, that can also work. It comes down to whoever makes the team member feel at ease.
• Conduct the conversation face-to-face. This allows for a more personal discussion. It also gives you the chance to go off-script if it's beneficial.
• Make the team member feel safe. Reassure the team member that the goal of the interview is to improve the practice and that they won't suffer any repercussions for what they say. Your team members should feel comfortable trusting you.
• Listen to what the team member says — and doesn't say. Even in a safe environment, your team members may use veiled language to describe how they feel. Write down what they say and consider later if it implies other issues they wouldn't directly address.

Some questions you might ask include:

• How did you feel about your time here?
• What did you enjoy about working here?
• What would you change and how?
• How did you feel about the people in the practice (team members, patients)?
• Did you receive the right amount of support?
• How did this job align with your professional development goals?
• Why are you choosing to leave?
• How could this be a better place for team members?

During the exit interview, your team member might cover many of these issues without being asked. However, keep in mind that as much as you want your questions to be open-ended, you also want to cover the details you need to take with you to improve the practice.

How HR for Health Helps

Focusing exclusively on health practices, HR for Health software makes human resources administration simple. Our secure, cloud-based electronic system makes it easier to maintain your policies and procedures for onboarding and offboarding team members. Access to this database protects you from legal issues by providing you with proof of your regulatory compliance. Everything you need to manage human resources in your practice is easily accessible in your HR for Health database. To learn how we can elevate your exit interview process, as well as how our software can simplify all aspects of your HR, contact us today.