What is the main reason you decided to leave?
Choose one category, then explain in a sentence
A single main reason is easier to group across leavers than a long list of contributing causes.
Human Resources (HR)Forms
Exit interview form: questions that explain why people leave
An exit interview form asks a departing employee why they are leaving, how closely the role matched expectations, and what should change, then keeps the answers for the people who can act on them. Ask the questions in a conversation or in a form the employee can complete in private, and say plainly who will read the answers. The form cannot guarantee anonymity, so do not describe it that way.
What people search
Exit interview form: 260 average monthly searches.Google Ads Keyword Planner · 2026-10-09 · United States
Exit interview template: 720 average monthly searches.Google Ads Keyword Planner · 2026-10-09 · United States
Question bank
Questions that explain the decision to leave
How closely did the role match what you expected when you joined?
Not at all / Somewhat / Mostly / Fully
Shows whether the job description and the hiring conversations set expectations accurately.
How would you describe your working relationship with your manager?
Very poor / Poor / Fair / Good / Very good
Separates a manager problem from a role or pay problem, because each needs a different fix.
What would have made you more likely to stay?
Open response
Records the change the leaver believes would have mattered, in their own terms.
Would you consider working here again in the future?
Yes / Maybe / No
Shows whether leavers would return, a useful signal about how the team handles departures.
Field blueprint
A short form that a leaver can skip item by item
| Field | Type | Required | Why you ask it |
|---|---|---|---|
Last working day | Date | Optional | Shows how much time remains to act on the handover items before the person leaves. |
Your name (optional)Your answers may still be recognized if the team is small. Add your name only if you want a reply. | Short text | Optional | Lets someone follow up if you ask for it. Leaving it blank is allowed. |
Main reason for leavingPay or benefitsCareer growthWorkload or hoursManager or teamThe work itselfPersonal or relocationOther | Dropdown | Required | Gives every leaver the same first category to report against. |
Role compared with expectationsNot at allSomewhatMostlyFully | Single choice | Optional | Shows whether the job matched what was described during hiring. |
Working relationship with your managerVery poorPoorFairGoodVery good | Single choice | Optional | Identifies manager issues that the reason category may not show. |
What worked well | Long text | Optional | Records practices to keep, not only problems to fix. |
What we should changeDescribe a practice or process, not a named colleague. | Long text | Optional | Gives leadership one concrete change to consider. |
Work that needs a new ownerName each task. You do not need to explain it in detail. | Long text | Optional | Lists the clients, tasks, and files the team must reassign before the last day. |
Would you consider returningYesMaybeNo | Single choice | Optional | Records openness to coming back, which is useful when a role opens later. |
Follow-up email (optional)Leave this blank if you do not want a reply. | Optional | Used only if you want someone to follow up on these answers. |
Try it
Preview the order a leaver will see
At a glance
10Fields
1Required fields
5Estimated time (minutes)
Estimate based on question types; actual completion time varies.
Read the results
Read exit answers as patterns, not verdicts
Group reasons before you count them
Use the category first, then read the explanations inside each group. Two leavers who both chose Pay or benefits may describe very different problems.
Do not report small groups
If a team has only a few leavers, a breakdown by team can identify one person. Report at the company level, or hold team-level results until enough people have answered.
Read the handover answers first
The handover field lists work that is still at risk. Give each item a named owner the same week, because it affects clients and colleagues now rather than at the next planning cycle.
Tell the team what you will change
Name the change, the person who will make it, and when you will check it. The next exit interview then has something concrete to compare against.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an exit interview form and an exit interview template?
A template is a document you adapt. A form collects answers through a link. This blueprint is a set of questions that works either way, and you should keep the same questions across leavers so the answers can be grouped.
Should the leaver's manager conduct the exit interview?
Usually not. A leaver may hold back if the answers are about their manager, and the manager may hear them as criticism. Consider having HR or another neutral person run it, and tell the leaver who will read the answers.
How long should an exit interview take?
Keep it short enough that a leaver can finish in a few minutes. The stats block above estimates the completion time from the fields in this blueprint.
Can an exit interview be anonymous?
Not reliably. The name can be left blank, but a small team, a rare role, or a specific date can still identify a person. Say that clearly, and do not promise anonymity you cannot keep.
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