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Make exit interviews count

Standard 2: Effective workforce planning

Effective workforce planning systems

Effective exit interviews can provide valuable insights into the reasons for staff departures. Many organisations either fail to do them, collect data without analysis, or analyse without taking any action. 

Exit interviews can help retention by revealing trends, highlighting systemic workplace issues and gathering feedback on the work environment, providing insights into employee experiences and organisational culture. Attention to feedback from workers with protected characteristics will enable sharper attention to anti-racist and inclusive workplace practices. 

Good practices for conducting exit interviews 

Schedule the interview as close to the person’s departure as possible. Avoid methods like online exit questionnaires with limited response options, which will not capture nuanced experiences and insights. 

Develop a consistent set of questions to ensure comprehensive, comparable feedback, promote impartiality and aid data analysis. Ensure questions are open-ended and use non-judgemental language to encourage honesty and give interviewees adequate time to reply. Provide questions in advance for more insightful feedback. Record responses carefully to analyse trends and develop actionable insights. 

You could include these topics in your questions and ask staff how they felt about: 

  • job satisfaction, workloads and support 
  • experiences with supervisors and leadership 
  • experiences of inclusion or discrimination 
  • workplace culture and team dynamics 
  • career development opportunities 
  • work-life balance 

Building a culture of support, belonging and inclusion

Creating a supportive and inclusive workplace culture is crucial for effective recruitment and retention. Candidates are more likely to be attracted to organisations that demonstrate inclusivity and support, while employees who feel valued and heard are more likely to stay long-term.

The need to belong is a fundamental human drive. In an organisation, belonging means employees feel accepted, valued and included, with their contributions recognised and respected. Research has found strong links between workplace belonging and lower sickness absence and higher job performance, while feelings of exclusion foster fear, rejection and competition.

For social workers, a sense of belonging is particularly important for several reasons which include: 

  • a supportive environment where practitioners feel they belong helps them manage the emotional demands of social work and prevent burnout 
  • job satisfaction means feeling valued and included improves job satisfaction, which is crucial for retaining passionate and committed practitioners 
  • teamwork boosts collaboration, which is essential for effective service delivery and support 
  • relationships with service users as when practitioners feel supported and valued 
  • professional growth means that an inclusive environment encourages continuous learning allowing practitioners to develop skills and improve their practice 
  • advocacy and empowerment as practitioners who feel they belong can more effectively advocate for service users and systemic changes, enhancing their effect on the community 

Strong, supportive relationships with colleagues boost our sense of belonging. They help people feel recognised, accepted and integral to the organisation, while also providing perspective and building trust.

Guidance on introducing peer support and mentorship schemes is provided in the resource for Employer standard 6: Continuing professional development. The resource for Employer standard 4: Wellbeing shows how psychological safety helps ensure a supportive environment.

References

Allen, K. A., Kern, M. L., Rozek, C. S., McInerney, D. M., & Slavich, G. M. (2021). Belonging: A review of conceptual issues, an integrative framework, and directions for future research. Australian Journal of Psychology, 73(1), 87–102 

BASW. (2023). Launch BASW Annual Survey of Social Workers and Social Work 2023.

Begen, F. M., & Turner-Cobb, J. M. (2015). Benefits of belonging: Experimental manipulation of social inclusion to enhance psychological and physiological health parameters. Psychology & Health, 30(5), 568-582. 

Birkeland, M., Nielsen, K., & Einarsen, S. (2012). Outcomes of exposure to workplace bullying: A meta-analytic review. Work & Stress, 26(4), 309-332. CIPD. (2023). Flexible hybrid working 2023.

Birkeland, M., Nielsen, K., & Einarsen, S. (2012). Outcomes of exposure to workplace bullying: A meta-analytic review. Work & Stress, 26(4), 309-332.

CIPD. (2023). Flexible hybrid working 2023.

Grant, L., & Kinman, G. (Eds.). (2018). Developing resilience for social work practice. Bloomsbury Publishing. 

Henkens, K., van Dalen, H. P., & van Solinge, A. H. (2021). The rhetoric and reality of phased retirement policies. Public Policy & Aging Report, 31(3), 78-82. 

Høgh, A., Clausen, T., Bickmann, L., Hansen, Å. M., Conway, P. M., & Baernholdt, M. (2021). Consequences of workplace bullying for individuals, organizations, and society. Pathways of Job-Related Negative Behaviour, 177-200. 

Kranke, D. A., Kranke, B., Solorzano, E., Gioia, D., & Dobalian, A. (2024). Applying a novel approach to understanding social worker job retention during the pandemic. Social Work, swae013. 

McClure, J. P., & Brown, J. M. (2008). Belonging at work. Human Resource Development International, 11(1), 3-17. 

Onken-Menke, G., Nüesch, S., & Kröll, C. (2018). Are you attracted? Do you remain? Meta-analytic evidence on flexible work practices. Business Research, 11, 239-277. 

Pollock, S., McCaughan, S., & Scholar, H. (2024). ‘Race’, ethnicity, and experiences of practice: Perspectives of child and family social workers working in England. Practice, 1-18. 

Skills for Care. (2023). Latest findings from SC WRES published in new Skills for Care report.

Spillet, M. (2024). Anti-racist systems leadership to address systemic racism: ‘Be who you ought to be so we can be who we ought to be’. Research in Practice. 

van Heugten, K. (2018). Theorising active bystanders as change agents in workplace bullying of social workers. Families in Society, 92(3), 1-8. 

Waworuntu, E., Kainde, S., & Mandagi, D. (2022). Work-life balance, job satisfaction, and performance among Millennial and Gen Z employees: A systematic review. Society, 10(2), 384-398. 

What Works CSC. (2023). Anti-racism survey report.

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The resources have been developed by Research in Practice in collaboration with DfE.
Published: 30 October 2024
Last updated: 04 November 2024