Stay Interview - A Contemporary Approach

Author: Monalisa Singh

Coming from an HR background, I know how to write a Letter of Intent or a Company Policy or even a personal diary but writing this blog is my first attempt on blogging in lifetime. 

It was when Ms. Shilpa Shinde, our Professor, instructed us about our next assignment supposedly on blog writing, that I knew that the time has come to take a plunge into it, but then as it would be with any other blogger, being my first blog I wanted to make it special and hence decided to write on a topic which is quite virgin and is still in a germination stage. - STAY INTERVIEW. 

One of the reasons it is special to me was that it conceptualized in my previous company by my team and me.I was first introduced to this concept 4 years back through the Times of India. By then I already had a fair idea of Job Interview, Exit interview, Separation Interview & Visa Interview, as I have conducted a fair number of them but I had no idea whatsoever about Stay Interview.

The idea behind Stay Interview is to know the reason why an Employee would like to continue working with the company. And also to understand the issues an Employee may be facing, get his feedback from time to time while he's still at the job. It helps giving food for thought to the Management as to what may possibly be wrong and the scope of improvement.

These days hopping jobs is a common practice among efficient employees which compounded by huge competition, has created and absolute scarcity of employable employees in the market. Therefore if right measures are not taken in time one could face high attrition in one’s company. 

So it leads to the question how can it be avoided.  My two cents to overcome the above problem would be to follow the golden rule – “Conduct Stay Interviews to Avoid Exit Interviews.”

As an HR expert rightly pointed out, "Asking Employees at the time of quitting, why they are leaving?, is like asking your spouse how to improve a marriage, the day before the divorce is final. By that time it's just too late.

Stay interviews focus on what is going right, rather than what went wrong. It’s a proactive approach. It can help in attracting and retaining the right talent and thus saving cost for the company in terms of eliminating the need and cost of fresh hiring, training etc.

The concept is based on the ‘Hawthorne Effect’, which states that people who are given attention are a motivated lot. As a Manager, to motivate your Employees it is important that you listen to them and show it in some ways.

Employers should use simple and direct questions in stay interviews, and they should be conducted among a sample group that represents a cross-section of the company. 

Ideally, the participants represent about 20 per cent of total staff from different areas of the business and varying levels of seniority. The HRD professionals of the organization & the immediate supervisors should be involved as key partners and facilitators in the process. The interview can include an initial online survey, followed up by a brief face-to-face meeting, which should take no more than 45 minutes per person.

The frequency to conduct Stay interviews should be based on number of employees & type of organization. For a small organization, it could be within three months and for a huge set-up it could be six months. A stay interview should address the following topics:

• the employee's immediate manager;
• the employee's team/colleagues;
• the employee's ability to deal with customers and deliver the required level of service;
• the workplace culture;
• resources and technology;
• knowledge sharing;
• career development;
• improvements to the organization;
• the reason the employee was attracted to the job initially, and does it still apply today; and
• Whether the employee feels the employer's promises are being delivered.

Based on these, stay interview questions could include, but not limited to:

• What is it that keeps you here?
• What might entice you away?
• What are the things you like about your work?
• What do you like best/least?
• Are we fully utilizing your talents?
• What makes for a great day at work?
• What is it that keeps you motivated?
• What is something new you would like to learn this year?
• What can we do differently to best assist you?
• Are there things you would like to change about your job, team or department?
• Has something caused you to consider leaving? Has it been resolved?
• What is one thing that would make your job more satisfying and rewarding?
• Do you feel supported in your career goals?
• Do you feel we recognize you? What kind of recognition would be meaningful for you? 

As pointed out earlier stay interviews not only save costs and keep attrition in check but they also:

• Provide a snap shot of employee satisfaction levels;
• Identify any issues or potential problems as they occur;
• Identify employees who are 'at risk' of resigning and address the issues to prevent their departure;
• Determine whether the organization is delivering on its promises to employees;
• Identify any areas that are preventing employees performing to the best of their ability;
• Provide another mechanism for feedback, which employees value; and
• Provide valuable insight to help proactively address issues affecting staff morale and retention.

While implementing one shouldn’t be apprehensive about what the staff might say. Obviously, one can’t always meet employee’s requests. But one can acknowledge their feelings, mere expressing one’s support and assuring that one will do what one can to explore options, does wonders at times.  As a tip, I will say that one should avoid saying as a representative of the company that you won’t be able to meet their needs in your initial meeting –because for some employees, that’s more than enough to prompt a job search. Instead, promise to review their feedback and give them a timeline for further discussion. Sometimes, employees simply want to be heard.

So rush and ask your employees – “What makes you stay here?” – Before it’s too late