Suppose you are not satisfied with your current job or find a better employment option elsewhere and decide to leave. At that moment, your HR manager might approach you to participate in an exit interview.
Many times, individuals face a dilemma of whether or not to take part in an exit interview.
As per my experience, I would suggest that it’s never to your most significant advantage to attend such interviews. From the employee’s point of view, it isn’t best for you to go and genuinely tell them what you believe isn’t right with an organization or the director during an exit interview or tell them that you are not satisfied working in their company.
Yes, you heard it right, my dear; that is precisely what exit interviews are. Companies usually do exit interviews to get honest feedback and know which and where they lack.
And that is why you are better not attend one because you definitely would not want to disrespect them or anybody in their company. After all, you might want to come back there or get a better chance in their company in the future. So, therefore, the best one could do at that moment is trying to escape attending an exit interview.
In this following article, we will help you not sound rude while saying no to or declining an exit interview.
But before moving further, we will first discuss what exit interviews are and why they are required.
What is an exit interview?
An exit interview is a final meeting between the management and somebody. This bout to exit the organization deliberately or by termination.
Exit interviews are pretty casual. The motivation behind the following meeting is to accumulate valuable criticism that can assist with directing future practices and improve recruitment and maintenance.
In a professional workplace, exit interviews are generally directed by HR staff. The meeting might be organized face to face, via telephone, through talk or email, or other online modes.
The kind of inquiries posed in an exit interview varies between the fired employees and those leaving deliberately. For an employee leaving intentionally, the primary question will be, “what’s the reason?”. Their answers will help the business review their practices, find out where they are lacking, and improve the work culture.
From the business’s point of view, regardless of whether an employee exit deliberately or is terminated, it might be beneficial to get some feedback about their work experience with the company and what they loved at least about the company.
Are Exit Interviews Required?
Since you have declared or issued your resignation letter, your HR manager might look for your open criticism about the organization and request ideas for change. An exit interview is more like a request than an order to help in understanding why you’re leaving their organization.
Many organizations like to talk with their employees who are leaving for a deliberate reason, but that doesn’t make it mandatory to attend. Exit interviews are not a requirement; it’s a choice. It entirely depends on the organization, whether they want to do an exit interview or not, and it also depends on the employee’s choice whether he wants to do it.
Except in case if you sign an agreement that explicitly expresses that you will participate in an exit interview, a business can’t expect you to must attend the meeting when you leave.
Why Companies Conduct Exit Interviews?
As you are about to leave,is might entice you to talk about that incompetent, rude boss and those incompetent and terrible co-workers. But, before you mess yourself up, stop and make sure to consider why organizations lead exit interviews.
Many organizations plan such exit interviews with the expectation to acquire data they can use to improve or refresh organization arrangements and workplaces, dependent on the legitimate input they get from those leaving their companies.
The above lines might explain that the motivation behind exit interviews is to know the honest and valuable feedback from their employees and why they are leaving the organization to have the chance to improve. But to reconsider, in reality, that is not always the case.
There’s a significant difference between the expressed reasons that organizations conduct exit interviews and the genuine intentions behind them.
Some organizations might believe that conducting an exit interview will bring them goodwill; however, that might not always be the case. Honestly, the exit interview’s true motivation is to provide the employee with a satisfying closure so that he won’t go out and speak badly about the company, which will directly impact the company’s reputation.
The Disadvantages of Exit Interviews
Suppose you say yes to the exit interview, and at the time of the interview, you can’t hold yourself in and end up sharing everything going on in your mind, from criticizing your rude boss to complaining about your co-workers.
But always remember that this can be proved as a significant disadvantage for your carrier. It can even backfire you by verifying that you have attitude issues, can’t handle orders, or know how to get along with others.
Therefore, because of your oversharing, you are damaging your professional identity on your way out. Also, you never know when or where you would have to deal with the same people again in your future. Therefore, you better be careful about it.
Here are a few reasons why exit interviews are not productive:
- Exit interviews are more advantageous for the business more than the representative leaving the organization.
- Exit interview doesn’t always ensure that the noted progressions or improvements will be made.
- Exit interviews convey Information that may not be utilized or valuable.
- Exit interviews create a possibility that your name might be associated with the data you shared.
- Leaving employees often overshare during exit interviews which the company can misuse.
How to Decline an Exit Interview?
Now comes the main discussion of this whole article is how to decline an exit interview correctly:
As I already mentioned above that the exit interviews are not mandatory. Except if you have signed any contract with them regarding that.
Therefore, the ideal situation for an employee is not to take part in any exit interview. You can follow the below-given tips to say no to an exit interview:
- Make it brief
Regardless of whether you send an email reaction or talk straightforwardly to an HR manager, you don’t have to give a lengthy clarification concerning why you are declining an exit interview. Instead, essentially express that you don’t wish to take an interest but with respect. You can also share a brief reason if you feel comfortable doing that.
- Try to make it look professional.
Try your best to make your refusal look genuine and respectful. It must be liberated from any personal comments or language that shows negative feelings. It’s ideal to attempt to keep a positive and healthy relationship with your organization even if you leave.
- Request another alternative
If you’d prefer not to partake in any exit interview with your HR agent, yet you want to give feedback, inquire whether there is another way you can share your feedback. Like few organizations offer online methods for an overview or feedback opportunity for representatives leaving the organization. You can likewise give a composed reaction to your HR as you get ready to exit.
- Try not to feel constrained
You don’t have to feel any pressure while saying no to your HR for an exit interview. It’s not professionally wrong or unlawful to decline an exit interview. Saying no to an exit interview doesn’t influence your potential or identity as a professional.
When you refuse the exit interview, make sure that you are as polite as possible and try not to sound like you are making a false excuse. Just be professional and respectful to your HR and go you!!!
Also, remember that you are not making any mistake in saying no to an exit interview.
Final thoughts
To sum up, when your HR manager demands you to attend an exit interview, they are probably either doing it to know your genuine reason for leaving or would be expecting you to give fake or candid feedback for their company’s better reputation.
Exit interviews are an intentional choice in both sections, so you don’t need to participate in the event if you don’t want to do it. However, declining an exit interview is quite normal and common these days. And as I said before as well that it’s not professionally unlawful to say no to an exit interview. Therefore you can very well have your way out quietly without attending any final meetings with anyone.
But remember, I’m quoting it again that your refusal to the interview must not be in any way disrespectful or fake so that it doesn’t impact your reputation as a professional.
Good luck!!!
