Exit interview form template
A structured exit interview form for gathering honest feedback from departing employees. Understand why people leave, identify improvement opportunities and strengthen retention strategies.
Exit interview form
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Why conduct exit interviews
Exit interviews provide valuable insights you can't easily get otherwise. Departing employees often feel freer to give honest feedback about workplace issues, management practices or systemic problems that current employees may hesitate to raise.
Tracking exit interview responses over time reveals patterns — if multiple people leave because of the same manager, lack of development opportunities or poor work-life balance, you can take targeted action to improve retention.
This template ensures you ask consistent, meaningful questions that generate actionable insights for improving your workplace culture and employee experience.
Key features of this template
Designed to capture honest, actionable feedback
Honest feedback
Structured questions to understand why the employee is leaving.
Improvement insights
Identify trends in retention and areas to improve workplace culture.
Positive and negative
Balanced questions about what worked well and what didn't.
Manager feedback
Opportunity to comment on leadership and management style.
Process improvements
Suggestions for better systems, training or communication.
Confidential format
Optional anonymity encourages more candid responses.
What's included in this template
Comprehensive questions for meaningful feedback
Employee details
Name, position, department, start date and last working day.
Reason for leaving
Primary reason: new job, relocation, career change, retirement, etc.
Job satisfaction
Rating of overall satisfaction with the role and responsibilities.
Work environment
Feedback on workplace culture, team dynamics and facilities.
Management and support
Assessment of leadership, communication and development opportunities.
Training and resources
Whether employee felt adequately equipped to do their job.
Compensation and benefits
Views on pay, leave entitlements and other benefits.
What worked well
Positive aspects of the job and organisation to maintain.
Areas for improvement
Constructive suggestions for workplace, policies or management.
Would they recommend
Whether they'd recommend the company to others as a place to work.
How to conduct effective exit interviews
Best practices for gathering honest feedback
Timing matters
Conduct the exit interview during the employee's notice period, ideally a few days before their last day. This gives them time to reflect but they're still engaged with the workplace. Some businesses also follow up a few weeks after departure when the employee may be even more candid.
Offer both face-to-face and written options. Some employees prefer the anonymity of a written form, while others appreciate the chance for a conversation with HR or a senior manager (not their direct supervisor).
Create psychological safety
Make it clear that honest feedback is valued and won't affect their reference or final pay. Explain how the information will be used — to improve the workplace for current and future employees — and who will see their responses.
Listen without becoming defensive. If an employee raises concerns about their manager or the business, thank them for the feedback and avoid arguing or justifying. The goal is learning, not defending.
Act on the insights
Exit interviews are only valuable if you analyse the feedback and take action. Look for patterns across multiple departures. If three people in six months mention poor communication from leadership, that's a problem worth addressing. Share aggregated, anonymised insights with management to drive improvement.
Looking to automate this process? RosterElf's HR software handles employee offboarding digitally, eliminating paper forms and manual tracking.
Who should use this template?
Essential for any business with employees
Legal disclaimer
This template is designed to reflect Australian workplace standards and Fair Work principles at the time of publication. It is provided as a general guide only and does not constitute legal advice.
You should review and tailor this template to suit your business, industry, modern award, enterprise agreement and specific workplace circumstances. For complex situations or disputes, seek independent legal or HR advice.
Regulatory sources
This template is aligned with Australian employment requirements.
Ready to improve retention with better feedback?
Download our Exit Interview form and learn why employees leave and how to make your workplace better.
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Exit interview form FAQ
- Yes. This template is fully editable. Add your company logo, adjust fields to match your processes, and remove sections that do not apply. Save your customised version as a master template for consistent use across your organisation.
- Most employment records should be kept for at least 7 years as required by Fair Work regulations. Some records, like workers compensation claims or superannuation documents, may need to be kept longer. Store forms securely and consider digitising paper records.
- Ideally, a neutral party like HR or a senior manager from another department conducts the interview. Employees are often more candid when not speaking directly to their supervisor. This encourages honest feedback about management and workplace issues. See our guide on how to conduct an exit interview.
- No, exit interviews are voluntary. Encourage participation by explaining how feedback is used to improve the workplace. Offer written alternatives for those uncomfortable with face-to-face discussions. Some employees prefer to provide feedback after their last day.
- Aggregate feedback over time to identify patterns in turnover reasons. Look for recurring themes about management, workload, career development, or culture. Use insights to improve retention strategies while maintaining individual confidentiality.
Related guides
Learn more about employee retention
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Disclaimer
This document is a general HR template provided for informational purposes only. It is not legal advice and may not reflect the latest changes in legislation or apply to every workplace situation. RosterElf Pty Ltd and the template provider accept no liability for any loss arising from reliance on this document. Users should seek independent legal advice and customise the template to ensure it complies with all relevant laws, awards and workplace requirements.