Recently when i resigned to recent job, i have got the checklist emailed to my mailbox with the steps and deadlines to close each of the checklist item in a sequence. One item among the list was Exit Interview where we get an opportunity to talk to HR and HR too gets an opportunity to understand why an employee is leaving the organization and see if they can do something to retain.

As usual i started completing the actions specified in the checklist and the day has come for the Exit Interview, i though this would be a direct F2F interaction and i have prepared with my points on why i have decided to quit despite of performing such a challenging role. After waiting during the morning session for schedule, i received a call in the afternoon from the Exit HR and i have been asked if i am ready for the discussion. I thought this would be a normal discussion before actual HR discussion and said yes.

HR Started asking questions as follows. Why are you quitting? i answered “I am unhappy with some of the things happening here”, When i tried to explain further she said, no i don’t have time to discuss. Second question she asked was What are your expected Last Day? i told so and so. After 2 questions, she said okay she will complete the action on checklist from her part and i can proceed with my checklist and disconnected the call.This is when i was really confused with puzzled with the question mentioned in Title.

The moment this discussion happened, i have decided my mind to quit this organization no matter what my management promises of and i have left the organization.

Study says it takes 60% less effort for an old employee to accommodated in a new team within the company rather than a new employee to adjust with a new team. And also an employee leaving the organization is not just a resource leaving it but he is leaving with huge experience in organizations culture and ethics along with how they do business and every new employee will take 80% more time to accommodate.

In my view Exit interviews are not a formality and they are to understand the problems within organization and not acting on some of those genuine issues within organization will lead to a catastrophic and will eventually break the whole organization. Organizations shouldn’t be always of one way communication and they should always try to open up themselves to listen to employees as they are the strength to company. With my experience, i have seen even though people may not speak and provide feedback during their tenure within company, they will provide crucial feedback during exit out of which some should be seriously considered.

My View here is, Exit feedback’s should be taken seriously to understand the problems within organization in-time. If you don’t do it, that means you are ignoring crucial points which you cannot recover on time and eventually you will fail as an organization.