An exit interview is a structured conversation, usually held shortly before an employee's last day, in which HR gathers their reasons for leaving and their honest feedback on management, culture and working conditions.
What it means
Done well, exit interviews surface patterns an organisation cannot see any other way - a string of departures citing the same manager or the same pay frustration is a signal worth acting on. The information feeds into staff turnover analysis and retention planning rather than any single individual's record.
Where it fits in
Exit interviews sit within offboarding but are an HR insight activity rather than a payroll one - they have no direct effect on the employee's final pay calculation, which proceeds on its own track regardless of what is discussed.
Key rules
- A structured conversation capturing a departing employee's reasons and feedback.
- Held near the end of employment, separate from the final pay process.
- Feeds turnover and retention analysis at an aggregate level.
- Has no bearing on the final pay calculation itself.
