Stay Interview Playbook

Why does this matter

Unlike exit interviews, which gather feedback from employees who are already leaving, stay interviews provide valuable insights into what motivates your top performers to stay with your organization. By proactively understanding their experiences, you can address concerns before they lead to turnover, improve retention, enhance engagement, and create a stronger work environment that fosters long-term loyalty.

Instructions

This playbook will guide you through conducting meaningful stay interviews with your employees. Use it annually or during major organizational shifts to ensure that you’re creating a workplace where employees want to stay.

Who should be involved?

All people leaders and their direct reports.

Step 1

Prepare for the Interview

Get your mindset right before you start the interview. Approach the interview with the goal of listening and learning, rather than evaluating performance. The goal is t understand why employees choose to stay, what motivates them, and what improvements they suggest for their work experience. We've had good experience using these topics as a starting point:

Motivation: What about your job makes you jump out of bed in the morning?
Demotivation: What makes you hit the snooze button?
Job Improvement: If you had a magic wand, what would be the one thing you would change about this department, team, organization?
Manager Support: As your manager, what could I do a little more of or a little less of to help you?
Recognition: Do you get enough recognition? How do you like to be recognized?
Career Growth: What can we do to support your career goals?
Personal Goals: What is a personal goal you are working towards in the next year?

Step 2

Conduct the Stay Interview

Time and Place: Schedule a private and comfortable setting. Allow sufficient time for an open conversation without rushing.
Set the Tone: Begin by explaining the purpose of the stay interview — to understand how the organization can continue to provide a positive environment.
Engage: Ask open-ended questions and listen actively. Allow the employee to share their experiences and insights freely.
Record Key Points: Take notes on the employee’s responses, focusing on key themes such as engagement drivers, frustrations, and opportunities for improvement.

Step 3

Analyze Feedback

Identify Common Themes: Review feedback from all stay interviews to identify patterns.
Actionable Insights: Determine what actions can be taken to address common issues and reinforce positive aspects of the work environment.

Step 4

Review and Act

Consistency Check: Are the insights from stay interviews consistent with your organizational goals and employee satisfaction efforts?
Action Plan: Develop a clear plan for addressing common feedback and improving employee engagement.

By conducting stay interviews, you can foster a culture where team members feel valued and heard, which in turn promotes long-term commitment and satisfaction. If you have questions or need help with this process please contact us, we would love to hear from you.

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