I first published this article on Stay Interviews almost seven years ago in 2016. At the time, this was a relatively new employee engagement strategy. It has gotten quite a bit of traction in many companies, big and small, ever since. Are you ready to try it?
In the key area of employee retention, this has become my new favorite question:
“What would it take for you to stay?”
When do we normally pose this question to a key employee? Of course, when they announce their plans to leave our company. In the exit interview, as a last-ditch effort to keep them, we ask this question in hopes of some miracle. Rarely are we that lucky.
By the time an employee has decided to leave us, more than likely they have already found a new job. They have announced their new plans to their family and friends. It would be hard for that departing employee to change their plans now. Hence, why wait until the end of their employment to ask this question? Why not ask the question at the end of their first 30 days of work?
It’s not unusual for a new employee to experience some doubt about their job as early as the end of the first month. The job may not be quite as they'd imagined.
This is a perfect time for a “ Stay” interview.
