Who primarily conducts exit interviews?

The primary responsibility for conducting exit interviews typically falls to the Human Resources department. This is because HR professionals are trained to handle sensitive information and facilitate discussions in a neutral manner, ensuring that the departing employee feels comfortable sharing their reasons for leaving. HR can also ask targeted questions that align with organizational goals, such as identifying retention issues or gathering feedback on workplace culture.

In addition, the HR department is usually responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of the information shared during the exit interview, which can encourage honest and constructive feedback. Furthermore, they are often tasked with analyzing the data collected from these interviews to inform future recruitment and retention strategies.

While hiring managers, employees' peers, and external consultants may have valuable perspectives, they are generally not the ones who conduct exit interviews. Hiring managers might have specific insights into the employee's work but could create a power dynamic that could hinder open communication. Peers may lack the necessary training to conduct such interviews effectively, and external consultants, although they can offer neutral perspectives, are less likely to be involved in exit processes unless specifically hired for that purpose.