Do you know what motivates people? Why would they choose to stay or leave? If you care about the people you support and want them to stay (and moreover, thrive), it’s pretty easy to find out how to help: Conduct a Stay Interview.
If you know what an exit interview is, you know how to do a stay interview. Simply move the timing up. It’s like the pattern of moving from a project post-mortem to a regular retrospective; by bringing the learning forward, you have a chance to do something about it.
My own lessons from stay interviews
I’m learning a few things by conducting stay interviews. A few lessons so far:
You need to do something about what you learn. Listening and understanding what people need is only the first step. And you only have a limited time before you lose credibility and trust.
Motivations differ for everyone. You may find patterns, but the priorities for different people are different. And what is important for one person now – like compensation – may not be as important to the same person later. One person desires words of appreciation and quality time, another growth opportunities, another is concerned about comp becoming an issue.
Quarterly is a good cadence. Even if you’re a fairly involved manager, organizational and economic dynamics change frequently. How do you know what works best for your people? Ask them.
Why aren’t stay interviews more common?
From my own experience observing various organizational cultures, including my own experiences in a managerial role, I surmise a few reasons:
You lose control: When you open yourself with a question like "What will make you stay?" it totally upends the power dynamic in the typical managerial relationship. It’s a very vulnerable position to be in, and it’s uncomfortable for people who are accustomed to people “reporting to them” because you are now reporting to them.
You have to act: When you ask someone what you can do to encourage them to stay, and the person directly tells you, the clock starts for how long you have to maintain your credibility and trust. Whether it's fighting for a raise or changing the way you do things, it means you actually have to put the "servant" in servant leader. If you fancy yourself a modern manager, you need to put your money where your mouth is and prioritize what you’ve heard.
You fear you won’t be able to deliver: It’s true that you likely won’t be able to deliver everything, but now you have an option (as opposed to finding out too late to even try); moreover, you can have an honest conversation about expectations.
You aren’t incentivized to care: This sounds cynical, but people do what works for them in the system in which they work. The sad reality is that many managers aren’t held accountable for people outcomes (e.g., retention, engagement) and have other priorities. They might give lip service to “taking care of people” (and some may even want to), but when push comes to shove, it gets crowded out.
So why do I love the stay interview?
I can demonstrate to the people that I support that I appreciate them.
I can tailor my work to support them without having to guess.
I can get ahead of things that may take time (like compensation).
I can explicitly tell people that I value them and want them to stay!
Sources and Resources:
Vegafactor motivators
Herzberg's Motivation Theory
Theory X and Theory Y
Psychological Flow channel
Guide to managing me (Streamside Coaching)
Stay Interview questions:
What motivates you to stay? What de-motivates you?
What do you like about it here?
What do you tell other people (friends, recruiters) about why you stay here?
How “fully utilized” do you feel? (Are you able to employ all of your talents?)
What do you have to “go outside” of work to get?
If you managed yourself, what would you do differently that I don’t currently do? What do you like about what I do?
In what situations do you experience flow here? Where do you not?
What worries you?
How would you redesign your current role into your dream job?
What does your “best day” look like?