The stay interview
Most organisations wait until someone resigns to ask why they're leaving. By then, it's too late. Stay interviews flip this logic, asking employees what keeps them engaged whilst they're still committed.
The case for this proactive approach has never been stronger. Mental health issues amongst employees jumped from 44% to 77% between 2023 and 2024 amongst large US employers. Yet workplace wellness conversations still place the burden on individuals to change their habits, rather than understanding the stresses and strains they deal with day-to-day, regardless of how trivial they may seem.
Adam Grant argues that stay interviews help organisations identify these hidden stressors e.g. under-utilised skills, unclear career progression, competing priorities, personality clashes and mixed signals about psychological safety. These conversations shouldn't be formal reviews, they should be chats where employees can speak candidly without fear.
The returns are tangible. When employees feel heard and valued, retention improves and the cost to re-hire is avoided.
When employees understand their development path and see meaning in their work, stress diminishes and the ability to perform increases. Stay interviews reveal what would make someone leave before they've updated their CV or changed their status on LinkedIn.
