Exit interviews are an important tool for understanding employee turnover. According toHuman Resource Management, 16th Editionby Gary Dessler, exit interviews are most effective when used toidentify the underlying causes of employee departuresand to guide improvements in current workplace conditions.

Dessler notes that while exit interviews cannot prevent the departure of the exiting employee, they provide valuable insights into organizational weaknesses such as poor supervision, inadequate pay, limited advancement opportunities, or unsatisfactory working conditions. When organizations systematically analyze exit interview data, they can identify patterns and take corrective action to reduce future voluntary turnover.

Exit interviews are not designed to investigate wrongful termination or to determine why employees were fired, as they are typically conducted during voluntary separations. Ensuring equitable departure processes is an administrative concern, not a retention strategy. Thus, the primary value of exit interviews lies inidentifying causes of turnover and improving organizational practices.

Source:

Gary Dessler,Human Resource Management, 16th Edition, Chapter on Employee Retention, Turnover, and Exit Interviews