Making the most of starter and exit employee surveys

BY LORD MARK PRICE
 
 
 
 
 
Employee feedback is invaluable for organisations seeking to enhance their workplace culture, improve employee satisfaction, and reduce turnover. Two critical moments in the employee lifecycle where feedback can provide significant insights are during the onboarding process (starter surveys) and upon an employee’s departure (exit surveys).
The employee engagement platform that I founded over five years ago, WorkL , offers specialist starter and exit surveys that help organisations identify early concerns so they can improve these and retain employees to avoid unnecessary turnover.
Some tips for onboarding new employees include:

Conduct starter surveys shortly after new employees join the organisation, ideally within their first few weeks. This allows you to capture fresh perspectives and address any early concerns or challenges before they escalate.


Tailor survey questions to assess the effectiveness of the onboarding process, including the clarity of expectations, access to resources, integration into the team, and overall satisfaction with the orientation programme.


Assure new employees of the confidentiality of their responses to encourage honest feedback. Our surveys are confidential and taken on our digital platform.


Our survey results are analysed promptly and identify common themes or recurring issues. Use this feedback to refine your onboarding processes, address improvements, and enhance the overall new hire experience. Communicate any changes or improvements based on employee feedback to demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement.

Tips for exit surveys include:

Schedule exit interviews or surveys with departing employees to gain insights into their reasons for leaving, their overall experience with the organization, and areas for improvement. Conduct these surveys in a timely manner to capture feedback while it’s still fresh in the employee’s mind.


In addition to structured survey questions, include open-ended questions that allow departing employees to provide detailed feedback and insights into their experiences, challenges, and suggestions for improvement. This qualitative data can offer valuable context and uncover issues that may not have been captured by quantitative metrics alone.


Assure departing employees that their feedback will be treated confidentially and used constructively to drive positive change within the organisation.


Analyse exit survey data to identify trends, patterns, and areas for improvement. Use this feedback to implement changes aimed at addressing underlying issues, improving retention, and enhancing the employee experience for current and future employees.

By implementing best practices for conducting starter and exit employee surveys, organisations can gain valuable insights into their employees’ experiences, perceptions, and needs at critical stages. Leveraging this feedback to drive improvement helps to create a culture of listening, learning, and adaptation that ultimately contributes to greater employee satisfaction and employee retention.
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