Unlocking Insights for Employee Retention: the ‘Stay’ Interview
The Role of Employee Experience or ‘Stay’ Interviews
As it becomes increasingly challenging to find great team members, retaining top talent has become a key priority for most organizations. One effective tool in understanding employee satisfaction and addressing retention challenges is the Employee Experience or ‘Stay’ Interview. Different from ‘New Hire’ or ‘Exit’ interviews, Stay interviews provide organizations with valuable insights into employee concerns and perspectives, enabling leaders to take proactive steps to foster a more positive and supportive work environment.
What is a Stay’ Interview?
A stay interview is an opportunity to meet with an existing employee who your organization is keen on retaining and provides insight into how that employee feels about their current role and future with the company. A stay interview is a helpful tool in preparing an Individual Development Plan (IDP) for goal setting and success of any high-potential employee. Stay interviews can be short and easy to conduct by the manager (or manager’s manager), or more comprehensive based on the situation.
A stay interview will generally include the following types of questions:
When to Use Stay Interviews
Employee Experience or Stay Interviews are designed to address specific organizational needs and scenarios. They are particularly beneficial for:
What Stay Interviews Are Not
While these interviews hold great promise, it's essential to recognize their limitations to ensure they are used effectively. Stay Interviews should not be utilized as:
Stay Interviews are a powerful resource for organizations looking to improve retention and gain deeper insights into employee satisfaction. When used appropriately and with clear intent, they offer a path toward stronger engagement and a more motivated workforce. However, their effectiveness lies in thoughtful implementation, a focus on objectivity, and a clear understanding of their limitations. By adopting these practices, organizations can turn insights into action, fostering an environment where employees feel valued and supported.
Are you wondering if an Employee Experience Interview is right for you? Talk to one of MRA’s experts and explore your options.
Patti Matthews, CSMR
Manager, Recruiting Services
763-253-9149
patti.matthews@mranet.org
www.mranet.org
As it becomes increasingly challenging to find great team members, retaining top talent has become a key priority for most organizations. One effective tool in understanding employee satisfaction and addressing retention challenges is the Employee Experience or ‘Stay’ Interview. Different from ‘New Hire’ or ‘Exit’ interviews, Stay interviews provide organizations with valuable insights into employee concerns and perspectives, enabling leaders to take proactive steps to foster a more positive and supportive work environment.
What is a Stay’ Interview?
A stay interview is an opportunity to meet with an existing employee who your organization is keen on retaining and provides insight into how that employee feels about their current role and future with the company. A stay interview is a helpful tool in preparing an Individual Development Plan (IDP) for goal setting and success of any high-potential employee. Stay interviews can be short and easy to conduct by the manager (or manager’s manager), or more comprehensive based on the situation.
A stay interview will generally include the following types of questions:
- What do you view as your most significant accomplishment(s) this past year?
- What do you think is the most significant challenge facing our organization this coming year?
- What do you enjoy most about your job?
- What do you enjoy least about your job?
- If you could change one thing about your job, what would it be?
- In the coming year, what skill or capability would you like to develop? How can the organization support you in that effort?
When to Use Stay Interviews
Employee Experience or Stay Interviews are designed to address specific organizational needs and scenarios. They are particularly beneficial for:
- Organizations experiencing retention issues or increased turnover, whether across the board or in specific departments.
- Capturing a "snapshot in time" of employee feelings and concerns that may influence their decision to stay or leave.
- Providing an agile tool for swift turnaround—often within 4 to 6 weeks—if both the team and employees are available.
- Offering a customized approach with both quantitative and qualitative questions based on key areas of focus.
- Identifying retention concerns with the intent to prompt meaningful organizational or employee discussions.
- Delivering impartial, third-party summaries to leadership, ensuring objectivity and clarity in the findings.
What Stay Interviews Are Not
While these interviews hold great promise, it's essential to recognize their limitations to ensure they are used effectively. Stay Interviews should not be utilized as:
- Tools for individual counseling, employee action plans, or performance improvement plans.
- Methods to assign blame or be used negatively against employees or their leadership.
- Instruments for measuring all aspects of organizational efficiency.
- Reports intended for direct sharing with employees without proper context.
- Automated, frequently repeated processes or large-scale surveys involving groups of over 100 employees.
- Understanding these boundaries helps maintain the integrity of the tool and ensures its purpose aligns with organizational goals.
Stay Interviews are a powerful resource for organizations looking to improve retention and gain deeper insights into employee satisfaction. When used appropriately and with clear intent, they offer a path toward stronger engagement and a more motivated workforce. However, their effectiveness lies in thoughtful implementation, a focus on objectivity, and a clear understanding of their limitations. By adopting these practices, organizations can turn insights into action, fostering an environment where employees feel valued and supported.
Are you wondering if an Employee Experience Interview is right for you? Talk to one of MRA’s experts and explore your options.
Patti Matthews, CSMR
Manager, Recruiting Services
763-253-9149
patti.matthews@mranet.org
www.mranet.org