How to Use Stay Interviews to Overcome IT Turnover

IT departments have some of the highest attrition rates across any industry, a problem that not only hurts their bottom line but also the morale of employees that stay. And the problem is unlikely to get better any time soon, forcing staffing services and HR executives to find ways to stop the spike in employee attrition.

Most companies have typically relied on exit interviews to get feedback on a worker’s reasons for leaving, using this information to address issues in the company’s working environment, culture, and compensation. Exit interviews, however, don’t identify a problem early on, and by the time an employee resigns, it may be too late to effect change.

Many employment agencies recommend measuring worker satisfaction on a continual basis, using ‘stay interviews’ to engage employees to talk about their likes and dislikes about their job, management, and work culture.

What’s a Stay Interview?

Similar to exit interviews, ‘stay’ interviews help you create retention strategies that prevent employee dissatisfaction. The key difference with a stay interview is timing, as you’re getting feedback early on when it’s not yet too late. In essence, stay interviews identify and prevent problems; exit interviews are about treatment.

Here are a few examples of Stay Interview questions that you can employ at your company.

1. What things about the company and your job do you like?

This basic question allows you to identify the factors behind employee satisfaction, as well as their loyalty and commitment to the team and firm. Ask about positive factors they associate with their job, co-workers, rewards, and management.

2. What specific reasons have you told others for staying with us?

Ask workers if their friends or external recruiters have ever asked about their reasons for staying with the company. This will let you know if you’re right in terms of workforce management.

3. How would you manage yourself if given the opportunity?

This question will shed light on how employees would hypothetically manage themselves and what they would do that current management is not.

4. If you were to consider leaving, what would your reasons be?

This question will allow you to identify potential trigger factors that may brew dissatisfaction among members of your team. Be sure to have employees cite both job and company factors.

5. What frustrations have you had with work and management over the last 12 months?

Ask employees to think about the times they’ve been frustrated – even mildly – about their role. Ask for a list of prompts that contributed to their frustrations, with an explanation on what they did or what happened to ease their anxiety.

Learn more employee retention strategies from the award-winning staffing specialists of Talon! Call us at 609-924-8900 to learn how we can help with your workforce management needs.