You’ve probably heard the latest buzz around “The Great Resignation” and the disruption this will cause companies and teams as employees have more career options than ever. The stats are undeniable: A record 4 million Americans quit their jobs in April 2021 alone, according to NPR. According to a recent Fortune Magazine article, 65% of US workers are looking for a new job right now. For managers, executives and company owners, these statistics can be alarming when thinking about their impact on their company.
How can a company defend against The Great Resignation? Here we take a close look at The Stay Interview as a tool to help leader keep all employees engaged.
“The end goal is to help the employees feel happier overall, and more excited about their role and company.”
What the Heck is a Stay Interview?
In short, a Stay Interview is a one-on-one, relationship-building meeting between all employees and their direct manager with the goal of learning what makes the employee happy and engaged, and how this can be improved. This conversation should be comfortable, engaging and candid with the goal of improving the relationship between the two and gaining a deeper understanding of why the employee stays, and why they might be looking for a new opportunity. The end goal is to help the employees feel happier overall, and more excited about their role and company. The meeting gives the employee a chance to provide feedback on why they love working for the company, and what could be improved. This gives the leader a chance to clarify any misunderstandings, and better yet, gives them an opportunity to improve the employees’ enjoyment, enhance the overall company culture or direction of the company. The key ingredient to these meetings is honesty and openness to learning the employees’ perspective.
This is the chance for the manager to listen, really listen, to what the employee is saying. The manager may not be able to resolve each concern an employee has due to budget or resource availability, but the fact that a manager took time to specifically discuss these questions will be very important to the employee.
In order for the Stay Interviews to be successful, there first must be a level of trust with the staff and the company. The employee must be comfortable being a little vulnerable, and the manager must not take anything personally. If your organization lacks basic trust, a confidential survey may better assist in learning how engaged your overall team is with the company and its mission.
“Resist the temptation to push back on thoughts or ideas the employee volunteers.”
What not to do in a Stay Interview:
In general, a Stay Interview should not be conducted by HR, or a dotted line manager. The meeting is best when conducted by the direct supervisor of the employee. This ensures the employee feels most heard and understood, and leaves little room for miscommunication or misunderstanding about the conversation.
Do not take comments made during the interview personally. Human nature causes us to be defensive when we feel misunderstood or the cause of someone else unease. Keep in mind this is the chance for the employee to express themselves.
Resist the temptation to push back on thoughts or ideas the employee volunteers. Similar to a brainstorming session, there are no bad suggestions, ideas or feedback. You want the employee to be authentic and transparent so you can best help them be and stay engaged with you, the team and company.
So, what questions are asked in a Stay Interview?
The leader should first set the tone of the meeting to be an open and honest discussion about what’s going well and what can be improved for each employee. Enter the meeting with a very open mind and keep the intention and focus of the meeting about the employees’ happiness.
Here are a few questions to ask during the Stay Interview:
- What keeps you working here?
This question starts the conversation on a positive note and gives the employee a chance to engage with the manager and share what’s working for them.
- How can I better support you?
This questions asks in a constructive way, what could be improved with the leader (you). Take special care not to seem put off or offended by the feedback. Remember, this is about the employee and their company engagement, not a direct reflection on your abilities as a leader.
- What would make you more fulfilled in your role?
This open ended question gives you an opportunity to learn what else the employee would like to see from you or the company. This is a chance to uncover how you could help the employee be happier on your team. Listen for a key theme, or an action you may be able to take towards their answer.
- What improvements would you recommend to the company?
Now that the conversation is flowing, this gives the employee another chance to open up and give candid feedback on the company overall. Again, it’s important to not take the comments personally, but a chance to improve the company overall.
- What can I do to make your job better for you?
This gives the employee the chance to provide you direct feedback. Listen carefully to their responses and take special note of easy steps you could take to address any concerns they may have.
“Thank them for their honesty and feedback and reiterate how valuable they are to the company.”
The Stay Interview Follow Up:
It’s critically important to follow up with each employee within a week of the Stay Interview, thank them for their thoughtful information, and let them know how you can improve their work experience. If there are simple items you can adjust to make the employee more fulfilled, by all means implement this sooner rather than later. During the next few one-on-one meetings, review some of the info you heard from each person and do what you can to implement their suggestions or improvement ideas. If certain things simply cannot be changed due to budget concerns or company policy, be honest and transparent with the employee. Thank them for their honesty and feedback and reiterate how valuable they are to the company.
There are no easy remedies for The Great Resignation, however, the Stay Interview is a great way to stay connected with each employee and help you improve their overall satisfaction and fulfillment.
Tom Goettl writes at the intersection of careers, leadership and technology.
Konik is a recruiting and staffing company focused on engineering, manufacturing and architecture positions in the Midwest. Learn more at www.koniknetwork.com