News

Increase employee retention with these stay interview questions

Does it help to ask employees why they’re leaving when they’ve already given notice? You won’t stop them from going. Yet most companies hold exit interviews to get some semi-honest feedback on workplace conditions and employee satisfaction, and to maybe-perhaps-possibly fix some wrong stuff after the fact. You might have prevented these employees from leaving at all if you had practiced stay interviews instead!

In a stay interview, managers learn what employees love about the company and why they choose to continue working there. They also learn how employees could be kept happy, or what might cause them to move on. But what questions can help you get to all that?

Three types of questions can help: what causes employees to stay, what might increase employee loyalty and retention, and what might cause employees to leave. Some examples:

What do you like most/least about working for this company?
What do you like most/least about your position?
Do you feel customer service is our top priority?
How would you rate the company as an employer, on a scale of 1-10?
Do you feel valued?
What talents, interest, or skills are you not exercising in your current role?
What additional types of feedback would you like about your performance?
How do you like to be recognized?
How can the company improve your work-life balance?
Is there something more you would like to be learning here?
What could I do more or less of, as your manager?
How can I better support you, as your manager?
What bothers you most about your job right now?
What would make you look for a job at a different company?

Those are just a few questions designed to find what’s wrong before employees pack up their desks. Stay interviews uncover what employees like and want from the company, which helps focus efforts and dollars where they’re most effective. Taking the company’s pulse on a regular basis will keep the company and its employees happy and healthy!

For more about the stay interview, check out the YES! Your Human Resources Solution article, “Wait, Don’t Go! – The ‘Stay Interview.’”

YES! News

The “better” way to conduct layoffs

Layoffs are hard on everyone. Even as business leaders and HR professionals, layoffs are one of the hardest things we have to do. Regrettably, many of us remember this from the all-too-recent pandemic layoffs. Layoffs are a reality we may soon face again as the threat of recession looms. And while we may not have […]

Resolve conflict like a champ

We’re hard-pressed to say conflict resolution is a fun or glamorous part of a Human Resources or leadership role, but it’s one of the most critical parts. How you mediate conflict impacts employee morale and retention, and also shows your leadership abilities and your willingness to tackle the tough stuff. Your conflict resolution skills can […]

Stop! and hire this candidate

It’s easy to criticize potential hires and spot reasons why we shouldn’t hire them. That one is too arrogant, that one lacks technical skills, and that one knows nothing about the company. Process of elimination, right? But too often we fail to recognize the positive reasons why we should hire someone. Positive flags can be […]

Client Testimonials

"Kathi has been an extremely reliable, knowledgeable and indispensable resource for our growing business. Anytime we had a difficult issue or needed to refine, replace or upgrade our HR communication, Kathi provided outstanding support and feedback. She is a wonderful person and an outstanding, solution oriented communicator. I can't recommend her enough to businesses who need assistance with HR strategy and support."

"Kathi is reliable, knowledgeable, and an excellent communicator. She has always been readily available to help us with all of our immediate needs, from handbooks to policies, and notices. We highly recommend her. A great team player."

"SPMD has been partnering with Kathi for almost 4 years. She is a fantastic partner to our design firm. Her experience, knowledge, professionalism and ability to problem solve is the perfect package to fit our business. Over the years she has helped us navigate many employee situations quickly and re-wrote our Employee Handbook. Kathi is always there in a heartbeat when a situation arises and has the answers and advice we need. We highly recommend Kathi!"

“Kathi provided Senior Human Resources leadership to Orqis Medical for over six years. Her effectiveness is immediate, her contributions substantial, and her ability to integrate into the employee base as a consultant outstanding. I highly recommend Kathi to any company looking for senior management help in the HR arena, without the ability to hire a full-time manager. This is a go-to person for any small, medium, or start-up company.”

Free Consultation