Employee retention is a growing concern as The Great Resignation continues. Employees are leaving their jobs in record numbers and finding more fulfilling opportunities.

One way to combat this problem is by conducting stay interviews. These discussions help uncover the reasons employees remain with or leave an organization.

The information uncovered during a stay interview can help leaders emphasize what attracts employees to the company and resolve the issues that cause employees to leave. This increases attraction and retention for the organization.

Of course, a stay interview must be properly conducted to serve as a retention tool. As a result, the following errors should be avoided to increase success.

Avoid making these common mistakes during a stay interview.

Don’t Have HR Conduct the Interview

A stay interview needs to be conducted by the employee’s manager. This lets the manager discover what the employee does and does not like about their job. It also provides an opportunity to address any concerns that may be contributing to the employee wanting to find work with another company.

Don’t Hide the Purpose of the Interview

Be transparent about the reasons for conducting a stay interview. Being upfront and honest with the employee encourages them to respond the same way. The employee should appreciate the company’s desire for constructive feedback to address its challenges and retain its workforce.

Don’t Make the Interview About the Company

The main purpose of a stay interview is to promote engagement, support, and trust between the employee and their manager. The manager should facilitate open conversations about why the employee remains with the company, what they would like to do next, and what may influence them to seek employment elsewhere. The manager must actively listen, ask follow-up questions, and restate what they hear to ensure they understand the message.

Don’t Conduct the Interview as an Interrogation

The manager and employee should engage in the stay interview over coffee or during a walk. This relaxed atmosphere promotes candid conversations about the employee’s career goals and opportunities to achieve them. It also reminds the manager to listen and respond with empathy.

Don’t Wait Long to Conduct the Interview

A stay interview is designed to gather employee input to improve the company before they decide to leave. This is why the manager should have the interview before the employee becomes disengaged or finds a job with another organization. The earlier the conversation, the more likely the employee will remain with the company.

Don’t Avoid the Interview

The manager may want to avoid the stay interview rather than discover potential issues the employee has with them. The manager also may be concerned about a potential inability to solve the problem and retain the employee. However, not knowing about an issue prevents it from being resolved. Facing the obstacle and working to overcome it is significantly more effective than ignoring it.

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