We ve heard of hiring interviews and exit interviews – but have you ever considered doing a stay interview?
Ever consider taking the time to interview employees to learn why they choose to stay at your company? Stay interviews are a fantastic informal way to learn what s working at your company and what areas you can improve on. Employees who stay with you and are engaged in the work you do are your most valuable asset – while they re there it s best to take the time to learn what you re doing right! In this article, we ll take a look at understanding why stay interviews can be a very useful tool for you, in addition to learning about the best ways to conduct one at your own company.
Don t just focus on exit interviews and learning why employees leave your company, focus on what s currently working by conducting stay interviews! Only around 25% of companies currently use stay interviews within their organization – this quarter of companies also find themselves to be in the top-performing companies around the world.
These stay interviews have allowed these companies to focus on the aspects of their business that retain and sustain employees. Zeroing in on these aspects and nurturing them while at the same time working on fixing the aspects of the work that are stated to need improvement. This way, the problems in your workplace that you may otherwise have never known about will keep coming up in interviews so that you can now address them. This goes the same way for what it is exactly that is working at your company – you ll really want to focus on that.
Feedback from employees is incredibly important, as you should always be looking for ways to understand and analyze what your employees have to say about your organization. In fact, conducting stay interviews are one of the best ways to transform and revitalize the role that human resources play at your company.
Let s start by taking a closer look at why stay interviews are an essential tool for your growing organization.
Why are stay interviews essential?
The concept of a stay interview isn t incredibly common for many companies – as many don t stop to consider the impact that this may have on their organization. After they re hired, most organizations don t see the need to conduct an interview with employees unless they decide to leave, so they can learn what went wrong . But why not consider trying to learn about what s right or wrong before having to deal with turnover and finding someone new to replace the person that just left? Stay one step ahead of the competition by valuing your employees input on your company and taking action. Being ahead of the curve now is an investment into your company s future.
On the surface, the stay interview appears to be a mirror image to an exit interview, identifying things people like about their job. That s worthwhile, but the stay interview is much more valuable because it provides insights managers can use to motivate and retain the particular employee, as well as a group.
The question, Why do you stay here? can be aggregated while also providing company guidance for specific employees and the organization as a whole. Something motivates people to stay, and the more than the company can reinforce and enhance that something, the longer people will stay.
If you re curious about how to let your employees know about your drive to improve your company and learn about what s working best for employees, consider using AirMason to build the perfect employee handbook! We ve helped build thousands of handbooks to let employees just like yours know how much their company invests in wanting to help them grow and succeed.
What questions should I be asking?
To conduct a great stay interview, there are several questions that you can ask to learn about what s working at your organization. While each list of questions might change depending on the level of employee you re asking, or by how your company functions, it s absolutely essential to list and identify the right questions to ask at a stay interview. Here are some of our favourite questions to ask!
Do you think you re given adequate and consistent feedback about the work you re doing?
The an incredibly important question to ask when learning about why an employee might stay at your company. Employees need constant feedback and connection to thrive at an organization, an employee who is happy with the level of feedback they are getting is sure to stay happy in your work environment. After all, a happy work-life only leads to the results you want to see.
What kind of feedback would you like to know about your performance that you do not currently receive?
Focusing on understanding areas related to performance management is a crucial area that can even make or break an employee deciding to stay in their organization. Focus on finding out if an employee is happy with how much they know about their performance. Employees are all valuable assets that deserve to be kept in the loop about the work that they re producing – otherwise, how else will they find the motivation to improve themselves within your company?
What type of flexibility would be more beneficial to you in your job?
Do your employees want more flexible work hours? Maybe continuing to work remotely even after the global pandemic is over – or potentially transitioning to a communal workspace instead? These may seem like big changes, but in reality, employees will respect the company that believes in the work that they re doing and that they can efficiently manage themselves. You might even see a huge boost in your production by being flexible in your employees needs and wants. Find what works best for them!
Do you feel as though your skills are being maximized to their greatest potential?
There s no better way to identify someone s skill set than by taking the time to ask them and see what they believe their greatest skills are. Identify if employees feel as though their skill sets are being used properly. If not then be flexible and creative in finding ways to shift the organization in a way that allows these employees to work at what they feel they are strongest in! Remember – this is in your best interest as it s ultimately for the benefit of your company.
Why do you think people leave the company?
You most likely already conduct exit interviews when an employee decides to leave the company – but why not consider asking the employees who stay what s driving them to keep working at your company? This allows you to identify key factors that separate employees who stay and employees who leave – helping you hire the best people for your company! You always want to know the drive behind the work that your employees do. What s motivating them? What future do they see in your company and why?
Is there anything you would like to change about your job?
Similar to the skills question – feel free to ask current employees what they would change about their current work! Even the most minor changes might make the biggest difference when it comes to learning more about why employees stay and keeping these employees even longer. This simple question can lead to major cuts in turnover at your company. Don t be afraid to be criticized – that s the only way your company can reach unimaginable heights.
Don t waste time – start stay interviews today!
Stay interviews are the next tool in your human resources toolbox that you can use to help keep employees happy and hire the next group of perfect hires. By building up this communication and relationship with your employees – you re preparing your organization for a solid path towards constant improvement and understanding when it comes to employees and how they work best. Remember – the employer-employee relationship is absolutely crucial for the success of your company.
If you re curious about other steps you can take to reach employee experience levels that motivate employees to stay and grow in your company – consider taking a look at AirMason to learn more about how an employee handbook can make a big difference! There s a reason why AirMason is considered one of the most valuable human resource tech tools available – you should join us today!
We would love to show you more about the difference AirMason can make on a growing organization – why not book a free demo today with our sales team to learn more about how you can start growing your company today!
