Exit interview questions not to avoid.

Exit interviews aren’t just about why someone’s leaving – they’re your last chance to uncover the truths your current employees might not tell you.

Too often, exit interviews are treated as a tick-box exercise. But when done well, they can reveal uncomfortable truths and hidden patterns that directly affect retention, culture, and leadership. The key is asking deeper questions that go beyond “Why are you leaving?”

Here are some powerful questions you shouldn’t ignore:

 “What ultimately pushed you to make the decision to leave?”

This goes beyond surface reasons like “better pay” – it uncovers the tipping point. Was it a lack of recognition, poor management, or broken promises?

 “Did you feel your work was valued and made a difference here?”

This helps identify if employees feel connected to the organisation’s purpose. A lack of meaning often drives disengagement long before resignation.

 “How would you describe the communication and trust between leadership and staff?”

Culture lives and dies in communication. If employees describe leadership as “distant,” “unclear,” or “unapproachable,” you have a problem that may be causing wider disengagement.

 “Were you given opportunities to learn, grow, and advance?”

Career progression is a top driver of retention. If people feel stuck, they’ll look elsewhere – and this question highlights whether development is real or just lip service.

 “Was there a moment when you started looking for another role?”

This pinpoints the start of disengagement. Maybe it was after a restructure, a poor performance review, or being overlooked for promotion. Identifying these moments helps prevent others from reaching the same point.

 “What advice would you give to your manager if you could be completely honest?”

This can feel raw, but it gives departing employees permission to say what others might be too afraid to raise. The answers here can be transformative.

 “Would you ever consider working here again?”

A “yes” signals you’ve parted on good terms and could rehire them in future. A “no” should spark deeper reflection about why.

Why these questions matter

Exit interviews are more than feedback from one individual – they are a lens into your organisation’s culture, leadership, and practices. But the real value lies in spotting themes across multiple exits and then acting on them.

At P2HR, we help employers design exit interview processes that get beyond polite answers and uncover actionable insights. Because if you’re not learning from why people leave, you’re missing one of the biggest opportunities to improve how you retain your best people.