What is a Stay Interview? Meaning and Example

Stay interview vs exit interview

An exit interview asks a departing employee why they are leaving; the answers help spot patterns but come too late for that person. A stay interview asks the same kind of questions earlier. It often surfaces fixable issues: a commute that became impossible after an office move, a shift that clashes with a child's school timings, or a sense that promotions go only to head-office staff. Companies that run both can compare what stayers and leavers say.

Questions to ask

Listen more than you talk, take notes, and do not argue with what you hear. Close by agreeing one or two actions and a date to come back, so the employee sees that the conversation was real.

• What do you look forward to when you come to work?
• What would make your job more satisfying?
• What almost made you leave in the last year?
• What would tempt you to take an offer elsewhere?
• How can I support you better as your manager?
• What skills or roles would you like to grow into?

Who should get one and when

Start with people you cannot afford to lose: high performers, people in hard-to-fill roles, and those who have been in the same role for a long time without a move. New joiners at the six-month mark are another group worth covering, since early exits are common. Managers should run the conversation, not HR, because the manager can act on most of what comes up. HR provides the questions, trains managers and looks for patterns across teams.

Frequently asked questions