Retention & Exit
Stay Interview
A stay interview is a conversation with a current employee, held while they are still happy enough to speak frankly, to find out what keeps them here and what might push them away. It is the opposite of an exit interview: you learn early, when you can still act. The questions below are meant to be asked in a relaxed one-to-one, in the order that moves from what works to what could be better.
15 questions
When to use this template
- Once or twice a year with valued employees, especially those whose departure would hurt the team.
- After a reorganisation, a change of manager or a busy period, when engagement may have shifted.
- When several people in a team or role have left recently and you want to understand what the others think.
Questions to ask
What keeps you here
- 01What are the main reasons you come to work here every day?
- 02Which parts of your job give you the most energy?
- 03What would you miss the most if you left?
What makes the work better
- 04When did you last feel really proud of something you did here?
- 05What does a great week look like for you?
- 06Which colleagues or teams make your work easier, and how?
What could make you leave
- 07Is there anything that frustrates you at work that we may not know about?
- 08What would make you consider leaving, if anything?
- 09Is there something about the job that is different from what you expected when you joined?
Management and recognition
- 10What could I do differently as your manager to support you better?
- 11How do you prefer to be recognised for your work?
- 12Do you feel you get enough feedback to keep improving?
Looking ahead
- 13What would make you want to stay here for the next few years?
- 14What is one change that would improve your experience most?
- 15Is there anything else you would like us to know?
Tips for a useful conversation
- Explain why you are holding the conversation: you want to learn, not to evaluate or to make an offer.
- Keep it separate from the performance review and from pay discussions.
- Listen without defending, and do not interrupt even when a comment is about you.
- Pick one or two things you can act on quickly, do them, and tell the employee what changed.
- Look across the answers every few months to spot what keeps coming up, without identifying individuals.
Mistakes to avoid
- Holding the interview only with people you already suspect are about to leave, so it feels like a retention manoeuvre.
- Making promises about pay, promotion or changes that you cannot keep.
- Asking and then doing nothing with the answers, which teaches people that candour is pointless.
- Letting the interview turn into a performance conversation.
Let Passisto People hold these conversations
The AI agent holds structured voice conversations with your employees and gives managers a clear report. People decide what happens next.