An exit interview is the cheapest retention research a company can run — one honest 30-minute conversation with a departing employee can surface the manager habit, workload problem, or growth dead-end that will otherwise cost you the next three hires too. This free exit interview template gives you the form, the questions, and the summary sheet to run one properly.
How to use it: Schedule the interview in the employee’s final week, allow 30–45 minutes, and have it conducted by HR or a neutral manager — ideally not the employee’s direct supervisor. Tell the employee their feedback is reported as aggregate themes, not shared with their manager with their name attached (unless they agree, or a legal/safety issue requires it). Ask the questions, then listen more than you talk. The goal is honest, usable feedback — not a counter-offer ambush.
Employee information
- Employee name:
- Job title:
- Department:
- Manager:
- Start date:
- Last working day:
- Tenure:
- Interviewer:
- Interview date:
- Reason category: ☐ Resignation ☐ Retirement ☐ End of contract ☐ Relocation ☐ Other
Part 1 — The decision to leave
- What prompted you to start looking for a new opportunity?
- What is the single biggest reason you’re leaving?
- When did you first start thinking about leaving? What was happening around that time?
- Did anything specific trigger the final decision?
- Was there a point where something could have changed your mind? What was it, and when?
- Is your new role (if applicable) offering something we don’t? What is it?
Part 2 — The job itself
- Did the job match what was described when you were hired?
- Did you have the tools, resources, and information you needed to do your job well? If not, what was missing?
- How would you describe your workload — too much, too little, or about right? Did it change over time?
- What part of your job did you enjoy most? Least?
- If you could redesign this role for your replacement, what would you change?
Part 3 — Manager and team
- How would you describe your relationship with your manager?
- Did you receive feedback and recognition often enough? In a way that was useful?
- When you raised a concern, how was it handled?
- How would you describe teamwork and communication within your team?
- Is there anything your manager should start, stop, or continue doing?
Part 4 — Pay, benefits, and growth
- Did you feel your pay was fair for your role and responsibilities?
- How did our benefits meet your needs? Any gaps that mattered to you?
- Did you see a future for yourself here? What did it look like?
- Did you get the training and development you wanted? What was missing?
- Were promotion and growth paths clear to you?
Part 5 — Culture and company
- How would you describe the company culture in a few words?
- Did you feel informed about what was happening in the company?
- Did you feel your work was valued by the company overall?
- Was there a time you felt especially proud to work here? Especially frustrated?
- Did anything about the work environment affect your health or well-being?
Part 6 — Rate your experience
Score each factor from 1 (very poor) to 5 (excellent):
| Factor | Score 1–5 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Overall job satisfaction | ||
| Pay fairness | ||
| Benefits | ||
| Manager support | ||
| Recognition | ||
| Training & development | ||
| Career growth opportunities | ||
| Workload & work-life balance | ||
| Team relationships | ||
| Communication from leadership | ||
| Tools & resources to do the job | ||
| Company culture |
Part 7 — Looking ahead
- Would you consider returning to this company in the future? Why or why not?
- Would you recommend this company as a place to work to a friend? Why or why not?
- What advice would you give your replacement?
- What is the one thing we should fix first?
Part 8 — Anything else
Is there anything we haven’t asked about that you think we should know? (Leave space for notes.)
Interviewer summary (complete after the interview)
Do not share this verbatim with the employee’s manager.
- Top 3 themes from this interview: (1) (2) (3)
- Was this departure preventable? ☐ Yes ☐ No ☐ Possibly — If yes or possibly, what could have been done, and when?
- Does this match patterns from other recent exits? ☐ Yes ☐ No — Pattern noted:
- Action items: list each action with an owner and a due date.
- Flag for immediate follow-up? ☐ No ☐ Yes — ☐ Legal/safety issue ☐ Harassment or discrimination concern ☐ Other
How to use exit interview feedback
One interview is an anecdote; a quarter of interviews is a strategy. Review themes across all exits every quarter instead of reacting to a single conversation, track your overall turnover rate alongside it (our free HR calculators include a turnover calculator), and close the loop: when exit interviews repeatedly flag the same issue, fix it and say so. Employees who see departure feedback turn into real change are the ones who stop departing — research on engagement and retention, including how AI is changing both, is covered in our article on how AI at work boosts employee satisfaction, engagement, and retention.
Related resources
- Free HR templates, checklists & tools
- New Hire 90-Day Plan Template (Free)
- How AI at Work Boosts Employee Satisfaction, Engagement & Retention (2026)
- Free HR calculators
This template is general information for employers, not legal advice. Exit interviews can surface issues with legal implications (such as harassment or discrimination claims); route those to qualified employment counsel promptly.