Stay Interviews: Not Just for The Great Resignation

Originally written for and published by The Business Hub on the 8th December 2021.

Prompted by reading Jennifer Liu’s trending article ‘Why ‘stay interviews’ are the next big trend of the great resignation‘, we wanted to explore the place that ‘stay interviews’ have in our workplaces.

Liu’s article for CNBC.com sparked a huge conversation on LinkedIn, with people from across the professional stratosphere weighing in, whether they be the executives or HR managers handling interviews, or the interviewees.

The efforts being made by employers to retain crucial staff members are under scrutiny and significant shifts as staff awaken one another to availability in the job markets.

A ‘stay interview’ has a simple underpinning: instead of getting to the stage of undertaking an exit interview with staff, this interview style focuses on understanding what is motivating people to remain loyal to their company.

It also provides the opportunity for you both to address any roadblocks they’re experiencing when it comes to feeling a sense of progression or appreciation.

Here at TBH Mastermind, we believe that these one-to-one conversations should be a part of the framework of a team understanding how they can support one another to succeed.

It’s as good for building a great working environment as it is for staff profitability — especially in comparison to the costs of the exit process.

Here are a few questions we’d suggest you regularly review with your team:

1. Which element of your work do you feel has the most impact?
2. Are there any elements of your work you would like to rebalance — i.e., would you like to do more or less of anything?
3. Are there any departments you would like to spend time getting to know more about?
4. What factor would most likely persuade you to leave us for a competitor?

The key is to evaluate which of the outcomes you can act upon to prove that you are listening.

To review, by creating space for your own take on the ‘stay interview’ and making active change, you’ll find that this openness leads to enthusiasm for all of your employees and colleagues.