When to use it
Conduct an exit survey for every employee who voluntarily resigns, ideally during their notice period and after the decision to leave is final. It also applies to end-of-contract departures and, in some cases, retirements. Use it alongside or instead of a live exit conversation to capture honest, comparable data at scale. Review the aggregated results regularly, not just case by case, so you can spot recurring themes in why people leave and act on them before they cost you more talent.
How it is measured
Exit surveys mix quantitative ratings with categorical and open-ended questions. Track the distribution of primary departure reasons (such as compensation, management, growth, or workload), the percentage of regrettable versus non-regrettable exits, and average ratings of management and culture among leavers. Compare these by department, manager, and tenure to locate hotspots. Trend the leading reasons over time so you can tell whether your retention efforts are working, and combine the numbers with themed analysis of written comments to understand the story behind the data.
Recommended questions
1
What is the primary reason you decided to leave?
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2
Which factors contributed to your decision to leave?
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3
How would you rate your relationship with your manager?
rating
4
How satisfied were you with your opportunities for growth?
rating
5
Did you feel fairly compensated for your work?
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6
Would you consider returning to this company in the future?
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What could we have done to keep you?
comment
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What advice would you give us to improve the workplace?
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Frequently asked questions
Yes. Departing employees give the most candid feedback when they trust their responses will be handled confidentially and shared only in aggregate, not attributed back to them in a way that could affect references or rehire eligibility. Make clear who will see the data and how it will be used. While individual responses are necessarily linked to a known leaver, you should report findings as anonymized themes across many exits. This balance lets you act on patterns while protecting the individual's candor and dignity.
Regrettable turnover is when a high-performing or hard-to-replace employee leaves, representing a real loss the company would have preferred to avoid. Non-regrettable turnover covers departures the organization is neutral or even relieved about, such as poor performers or roles being phased out. Tracking the two separately is essential, because a high overall turnover rate driven by non-regrettable exits is far less alarming than a lower rate concentrated among your best people. Exit surveys should flag which category each departure falls into so your retention efforts target the losses that matter most.
Send it during the notice period, after the resignation is confirmed but before the last day, when the experience is fresh and the employee still feels connected enough to give thoughtful answers. Avoid the final, hectic day when people are rushing to wrap up. Some organizations also send a follow-up survey a few months after departure, once emotions have settled, which can surface even more honest reflections. Combining an in-the-moment survey with a later follow-up often gives the most complete picture of why someone left.
Aggregate responses across many exits to find recurring themes rather than reacting to single cases. Break the data down by department, manager, and tenure to locate where regrettable turnover concentrates, then dig into the drivers behind it, such as pay, management, or lack of growth. Share findings with leaders who can change those drivers, and tie specific actions to the top reasons people leave. Finally, track whether your interventions reduce departures for those reasons over time, closing the loop between insight and retention.