12 Smart Exit Interview Questions to Spot Why Employees Really Leave

Candidate Experience

8 minutes

June 24, 2025

Written by Hirex

Did you know 36% of employees quit without talking to anyone? That's a huge number leaving without giving you a chance to understand why! Good exit interview questions are your secret weapon for uncovering what pushes talent away.

The Society for Human Resource Management reports that 77% of organizations conduct exit interviews, with 48% making policy changes based on them. Clearly, most companies are falling short.

1. Why did you decide to leave the company?

This simple-looking question unlocks a treasure trove of insights about your organization. What managers think and what's actually happening often don't match up!

While 51.4% of employers believe staff leave for personal reasons, the real triggers are usually workplace issues that could have been fixed with proper attention.

Why this question matters

Getting to the bottom of why employees leave is key to keeping your best talent around. Exit interviews give you a golden opportunity to hear honest feedback that might never surface otherwise. When people are already heading out the door, they're much more likely to share what they really think about structural or cultural problems.

2. What prompted you to start looking for another job?

Knowing what triggers employees to update their resumes is way more valuable than just understanding why they finally walked out the door. Gallup tells us 36% of people who leave don't talk to anyone before deciding to quit. Think about it - these employees are silently job hunting while still sitting at their desks!

Why this question matters

This question helps you catch those "I've had enough" moments that first push people to browse job listings. These trigger points usually happen long before the resignation letter lands on your desk.

3. Did you feel supported by your manager?

The manager-employee relationship can absolutely make or break how happy someone is at work. Research puts it clearly - relationships with managers rank as the top factor in job satisfaction, coming second only to mental health for overall well-being. This question cuts straight to whether poor management might be pushing your people out the door.

Why this question matters

Your managers directly determine if employees stay or head for the exit. The numbers don't lie - two in five employees have quit because of their manager, and a whopping 70% of US workers say they would leave their job because of a bad boss.

4. What were the best and worst parts of your job?

This simple yet powerful question reveals both the highlights and pain points of an employee's journey with your company. When you ask departing staff what they loved and hated about their role, you'll uncover gems that regular surveys completely miss.

Why this question matters

When people know they're heading out the door, they'll speak candidly about aspects of the job that your current employees are too nervous to mention. This matters big time considering 60% of HR teams actually take action after exit interviews by updating job descriptions and reviewing pay. That's real impact! 💪

5. How did your role change over time?

Jobs aren't frozen in time - they evolve! Asking about role changes helps uncover whether the gap between "what I signed up for" and "what I actually did" pushed someone out the door. It's crazy how often these shifts happen bit by bit, flying under managers' radar until suddenly, the job description and reality don't match at all.

Why this question matters

This question helps you spot if your job descriptions still reflect what people actually do. When employees head for the exit, they can point out disconnects that their managers totally missed because changes happened so gradually.

If you're not tracking these shifts, you risk creating roles where what you advertise and what people actually do are completely different things!

6. Did you feel recognized and valued at work?

Recognition isn't just a nice-to-have - it's a major player in whether employees stick around or head for the exit. Here's something eye-opening: when exit interviews ask about feeling valued, 40% of departing employees point to feeling undervalued as their main reason for quitting. Ouch! 😬 This question helps you spot if your recognition culture (or lack of one) is pushing great talent out the door.

Why this question matters

Want to keep your people? Start recognizing them! Gallup research shows employees who feel unrecognized are twice as likely to leave within a year. Recognition fulfills basic human needs - feeling valued and belonging. Meeting these needs boosts morale and satisfaction.

The business impact is crystal clear too. Companies with strong recognition cultures enjoy up to 31% lower turnover. That's a huge difference!

7. What could we have done to make you stay?

Asking departing employees what might have convinced them to stay reveals hidden retention opportunities. This direct question provides actionable insights that other questions miss.

32.4% of employees say toxic work environments drive them to leave, but only 15.3% of employers acknowledge this. This question helps bridge that perception gap! 🧩

Why this question matters

Research indicates 42% of employee turnover is preventable, yet companies frequently miss these opportunities by not asking the right questions. Exit interviews offer a structured way to collect honest feedback from departing employees—insights current staff may be hesitant to share.

8. Did you share your concerns before resigning?

Resignations often follow communication breakdowns. This question helps determine if your company fosters an environment where employees feel safe to voice issues before they escalate. The answer reveals much about your feedback culture—open or closed? 🗣️

Why this question matters

This question assesses if team members feel comfortable raising concerns. When employees quit without expressing issues, it usually indicates either a lack of feedback opportunities or a lack of psychological safety.

9. Would you recommend this company to others?

Former employees become your unofficial brand ambassadors the moment they walk out the door. When you ask if they'd recommend your company to others, you're getting a direct peek into how your organization is perceived in the talent marketplace.

Why this question matters

This question goes to the core of your employer brand. Job seekers trust former employees more than your career website. They see ex-employees as reliable sources about what it's like to work at your company.

Only 10% of former employees would recommend their past organization as a workplace. That's a huge opportunity lost!

10. Did you have opportunities for growth and development?

Career advancement opportunities are deal-breakers for employees considering leaving. Research shows 74% cite lack of career progression as their top reason for quitting.

Why this question matters

Professional development is essential for retaining talent. Exit interviews show that limited career advancement and unmet compensation goals are top reasons employees leave.

11. How would you describe the company culture?

Company culture greatly impacts employee retention. Toxic workplace culture is ten times more influential than compensation in employees' decisions to quit. This highlights the real experience of living in your organization daily.

Why this question matters

Departing employees often spill truths about your culture that current staff won't share. Your workplace culture is that invisible force - the shared values, beliefs, attitudes, and behavioral norms shaping how things actually work.

Company culture is the key factor in job satisfaction as people decide whether to stay or leave. The feedback reveals gaps between management's perception and employees' actual experiences. These disconnects lead to turnover! 🏭

12. Would you consider returning in the future? 🔄

Here's a shocker - more than a quarter of all "new" hires are actually boomerang employees who've worked for the company before! Even more surprising, almost 20% of workers who walked out during the pandemic have already come back to their old employers. Asking this question opens the door for future rehiring possibilities.

Why this question matters

The workforce has changed. Companies are more open to rehiring former talent. Leaving is no longer viewed as betrayal. Smart organizations see the benefits of bringing back people who already know the company.

Conclusion

Gathering feedback means nothing if you don't act on it. The real value comes when you analyze what people say and implement changes. While 48% of companies say their exit interviews led to policy changes, many still collect valuable data without taking action!

Nearly 20% of pandemic-era quitters have returned to previous employers! Respecting departing employees fosters valuable rehiring opportunities later.

After all, wouldn't you rather fix problems before people leave than wonder why your best talent keeps walking out the door? 🚪