Mastering Stay Interviews: With 10+ Questions And Best Practices
Everyone knows that stay interviews are essential when it comes to the decision-making process of hiring new employees. But what exactly is a stay interview, and why do they matter? In this blog post, we’ll be exploring all of these questions in detail and sharing tips on how to make the most out of stay interviews. We’ll also provide a list of questions you can use during stay interviews to help you better understand the candidate’s suitability for the job. So read on and let us help you get the best from your stay interviews!What is a stay interview?
Staying ahead of the curve is essential for any company, including keeping employees engaged and active. One way to do this is by conducting stay interviews – a great way to get to know someone better and assess their fit with your team. It’s also a great opportunity to ask questions about the person’s experience, skills, and traits. The goal is to understand what makes your best employees stick with you. In analogy, you also understand the potential causes for leaving for your team members. In the run for hiring the best talent, managers turn a blind eye to their existing pool of employees. Stay interviews are a great practice to gather insights from your team and can become a part of your retention and engagement strategy when used effectively. Typically, the stay interview is a casual conversation between a manager and an employee, where they discuss things related to work and the workplace. It can cover all the aspects, from good to bad and everything in between.Why do stay interviews matter?
Stay interviews matter because they engage your team. Managers and leaders need to focus on their teams before they start hunting for more people to join. Stay interviews are important for a few reasons –- Retention: They add to the retention and engagement strategy. Regular discussions with managers about what the employees like or not liking in the workplace will help cultivate a sense of security at work.
- Relationship building: Similarly, stay interviews help in building a relationship with your team. Through these conversations, you can help them create an optimal experience at work, based on which managers can establish mutual trust.
- Feedback: These conversations are the source of valuable feedback from employees. Based on these reflections, you can change your people management strategy to achieve better results.
- Build employer equity: Stay interviews help you identify features that managers can develop into components of your brand equity. These elements put you forward as a great potential employer and help you attract better candidates.
- Identify weaknesses: On the flip side, stay interviews will help you identify your weaknesses too. With these insights, you can work can issues that can cause attrition if allowed to fester unchecked in your team.
- All in all, it helps you retain employees in the longer run. It is especially crucial in the wave of great resignation and the tumultuous external environment that organizations are increasingly facing.
Other Interesting Reads
10 best questions for stay interviews in 2022
Stay interviews are an important part of the employee lifecycle. They bring immense value to the team and the managers. Here are some questions that you should use in stay interviews and why –- What motivates you to show up every day?
- Do you feel some of your talents are not being used in your role?

- What changes can I (the manager) make?
- Is there something that will make your job more satisfactory?
- How would you describe the company’s culture?
- What would be your reason for leaving?
- How good are the support and resources provided for working?
- Which part of work would you prefer to avoid? Why?
- Do you feel you get enough opportunities to develop professionally?
- Would you recommend the company to others? Why?

Tips for conducting stay interviews effectively
Always arrive prepared for the interview
Be clear about what you want from the conversation, and be willing to share your expectations. It will help in developing a mutually beneficial relationship with employees. You can shortlist a few relevant questions and prepare a rough structure for the interview.Be mindful of body language
Your posture, facial expressions, and breathing all reflect how engaged you are in the conversation. Make sure your presence is positive and enthusiastic about creating an atmosphere of trustworthiness and openness between both parties.Keep the conversation chill
Do not begin the conversation with a serious question. Instead, start by explaining your intent and build on the answers provided by the employee.Gather a summary
You might spot trends and similarities in their answers when conducting interviews with several people. These factors carry a major impact, and you need to be aware of them.Listen and act
Listen to the feedback provided by employees carefully. Take note of concerns and attempt to resolve them after careful analysis. You can ask further questions to get a more in-depth answer. Asking about issues will be a meaningful exercise only when you act on them.
Conclusion
Stay interviews are an important part of the employee’s life cycle, as they allow you to get to know employees better and create a better experience for them at work. By asking questions that probe beneath the surface, you can uncover any potential issues or concerns that may need to be addressed. Make sure to have a list of questions prepared, and interviewees will appreciate the opportunity to answer them in an open and candid way. Thanks for reading!Are you getting the most value from One-On-One sessions with your team? Test now!
Risely’s One-On-One meeting self-assessment is designed by experts to help managers build effective relationships.
FAQs
How to prepare for a stay interview?
A stay interview is a good chance to set the boundaries and express your opinion on the team to the manager. Before the interview, take some time to think about your priorities and how well the team is helping you achieve your goals.
Who conducts a stay interview?
The stay interview is typically conducted by the team manager or the direct reporting manager as they are most likely to be aware and understanding of the employee’s concerns.
What is another name for a stay interview?
Stay interviews are also known as retention interviews as they try to understand the reasons that keep retained employees engaged and things they want to change.
What are the benefits of stay interviews?
The major benefit of a stay interview is that the manager can find challenges and issues felt by the team members directly. It also ensures that the relationship continues to be mutually trustworthy.
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