EXIT INTERVIEW POLICY

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EXIT

INTERVIEW

POLICY

Policy eLibrary Ref No: 1167 Date of Issue: March 2010 Prepared by: Cathie Walker Date of Review: March 2012 Lead Review: Ray Stewart Version: 2

Ratified by: Highland Partnership Forum Date Ratified: 12th_{February 2010}

EQIA: Yes Date: EQIA: September 2009

Distribution:

Method: CD Rom e-Mail Paper Intranet X

For Official Use:

Warning – Document uncontrolled when printed

Exit Interview Policy – March 2010 Date of Issue: March 2010

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Page 2 of 11 Date of Review: March 2012

EXIT INTERVIEW POLICY

1. INTRODUCTION

2. AIMS

2.1. HOW WILL THE POLICY BE ACHIEVED

3. PROCEDURE

4. GUIDANCE NOTES FOR MANAGERS 4.1. PURPOSE

4.2. CONDUCTING THE INTERVIEW APPENDIX 1 - EXIT INTERVIEW FLOW CHART APPENDIX 2 - EXIT INTERVIEW QUESTIONNAIRE

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1. INTRODUCTION

NHS Highland recognises that its staff are its most valuable asset and as such is committed to ensuring staff are appropriately trained and supported within the workplace, thereby creating a working environment that is both motivating and rewarding for staff.

By conducting exit interviews/questionnaires, NHS Highland hope to promote recruitment and retention opportunities by identifying the reasons why staff are leaving NHS Highland employment. It also ensures continuing improvement of equal opportunities for staff. Exit interviews/questionnaires are recognised as good employment practice, giving employees an opportunity for closure and employers a chance to gain valuable feedback on their organisation.

2. AIMS OF THE POLICY

The aims of the policy are to:

• Identify and monitor reasons why employees are leaving the organisation and trends in turnover

• Monitor information and make improvements as necessary

• Identify training and development needs

• Ensure effective recruitment and induction and identify any gaps

• Ensure staff are treated fairly and consistently and their diversity valued

• Provide information to inform recruitment and retention initiatives

• Display openness and integrity by providing all employees leaving the organisation the opportunity to provide feedback

• Monitor that the principles of Equality and Diversity are embedded and reflect the needs of a diverse workforce

2.1. How Will the Policy be Achieved The policy will be achieved by:

• Ensuring that all employees at induction are informed and that they can voluntary complete an Exit Questionnaire and will be offered an Exit Interview in the event that they leave the employment of NHS Highland

• Ensuring that all members leaving NHS Highland are aware of the exit interview procedure and have the opportunity to complete the exit questionnaire

• Regular monitoring and reporting of the information through the Personnel Team (John Dewar Building)

• Informing employees of the reasons for collecting and holding such data from the exit interview/questionnaire in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998

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3. PROCEDURE

• All employees leaving NHS Highland will have the right to complete an exit interview questionnaire and will be given the opportunity of having an exit interview with a manager or another identified person

• All employees leaving NHS Highland should be encouraged to participate in this process and assurance should be given that the interview does not need to be with their own manager

• Employee may wish to have a Trade Union Representative present at the meeting/interview

• All completed questionnaires/interviews should be returned to the Personnel Team for recording and monitoring

• A copy of the completed questionnaire will be given to the leaver

• Analysis of the information from the exit questionnaire/interview will be carried out by the Personnel Team

• It is important to inform the leaver that the information provided will be depersonalised and a record of all questionnaires and interviews will be maintained on a central database held by the Personnel Team. This information will be held anonymously on the database and the interview/questionnaire will be shredded

• The employee should also be advised that the contents of the questionnaire/interview are confidential.

4. GUIDANCE NOTES FOR MANAGERS

4.1. Purpose

The purpose of the Exit Interview is to establish the reason(s) for an employee leaving and use the feedback to review job content and address any other important issues that are raised.

The information gained from exit interviews/questionnaires can also be used to provide useful feedback in monitoring the effectiveness of recruitment and retention, identify training and development needs and good working practice.

4.2. Conducting the Interview

When the line manager receives an employees’ resignation, the termination form should be sent to the Pay Unit. A copy of the Exit Questionnaire should be printed off from the Intranet (or requested from the Personnel Information Officer, Personnel Team, John Dewar Building, Inverness) and given to the employee and asked to complete.

On receiving the questionnaire, the employee needs to indicate if they would be happy to participate in an exit interview and with whom. If the employee has indicted they are happy to have the exit interview with their manager, then this needs to be arranged and the completed form returned to the Personnel Information Officer, Personnel Team.

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Where the employee has indicated that they would rather participate with another manager or a Personnel Manager/Officer, the Personnel Information Officer needs to be informed of this and will then arrange for an exit interview with another manager or a Personnel Manager/Officer to take place.

An employee can complete an Exit Interview Questionnaire independently of their participation in an exit interview.

Where an employee does not wish to participate in an Exit Interview, they can complete an Exit Interview Questionnaire and post directly to the Personnel Information Officer, Personnel Team, John Dewar Building, Inverness.

The exit interview/questionnaire should take place within the last 2 weeks before the employment ends, giving adequate notice of the exit interview meeting date. Employees may wish to have a Trade Union representative present during the interview.

Employees must not be forced to complete the exit questionnaire or interview. Participation is voluntary. It should be stressed that these interviews/questionnaires will be conducted in the strictest confidence. The manager should explain that constructive feedback from the interview/questionnaire is important in helping to change working practices, if necessary, to improve the quality of working lives. It should also be explained that if any information given at the interview gives rise to concerns that possible misconduct, harassment etc may have occurred that this would remain confidential. However, they should be encouraged to give the interviewer permission to raise the issue with their senior in the department as appropriate to try and resolve the situation.

It is important to focus on the job, team and working environment, and avoid personal issues throughout the interview. At no time should the interviewer argue or disagree with the view of the employee. Employees will be advised that no response will be provided to the comments they provide. If the member of staff requires a response or wishes to intimate a grievance then he/she will be advised of the process.

It is important to remember that confidentiality should be maintained throughout the process, as the information obtained could be highly sensitive.

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EXIT INTERVIEWS

APPENDIX 1

MANAGER RECEIVES EMPLOYEE’S RESIGNATION

MANAGER PRINTS OFF COPY OF EXIT QUESTIONNAIRE AND GIVES IT TO EMPLOYEE OR IT IS DOWNLOADED

FROM THE INTRANET

THE EMPLOYEE REQUESTS ON THE FORM THAT THEY WOULD / WOULD NOT PARTIPATE

IN AN EXIT INTERVIEW

WORKFORCE INFORMATION REPORT INFORMATION COLLATED BY PERSONNEL INFORMATION OFFICER INFORMATION RECORDED ON DATABASE

ANOTHER MANAGER / PERSONNEL MANAGER / OFFICER MEETS WITH

EMPLOYEE TO CONDUCT EXIT INTERVIEW

EXIT INTERVIEW TAKES PLACE AND INFORMATION SENT TO PERSONNEL INFORMATION OFFICER

MANAGER ARRANGES EXIT INTERVIEW

PERSONNEL INFORMATION OFFICER SENDS EMAIL TO ANOTHER MANAGER OR

PERSONNEL MANAGER / OFFICER TO ARRANGE EXIT INTERVIEW QUESTIONNAIRE

COMPLETED AND ENTERED INTO DATA BASE

EMPLOYEE REQUESTS INTERVIEW WITH

MANAGER

TERMINATION FORM SENT TO PAY UNIT

MANAGER COMPLETES TERMINATION FORM AND ISSUES

TERMINATION LETTER

YES, WANTS EXIT INTERVIEW WITH MANAGER OR ANOTHER MANAGER OR

PERSONNEL MANAGER / OFFICER NO, COMPLETES EXIT INTERVIEW

QUESTIONNAIRE & SENDS TO PERSONNEL INFORMATION OFFICER

EMPLOYEE REQUESTS INTERVIEW WITH ANOTHER

MANAGER / PERSONNEL MANAGER / OFFICER

MANAGER MEETS WITH EMPLOYEE TO CONDUCT EXIT

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APPENDIX 2

EXIT INTERVIEW QUESTIONNAIRE

(Where appropriate, please tick with your choice) General Information

Name: Payroll Number:

1. Would you be happy to participate in an exit interview? (If not, please complete the questionnaire)

YES NO

2a. If yes, would you prefer to have the interview with your Manager or Another Manager / Personnel Manager/Officer?

Manager Manager’s Name:

Another Manager Please let the Personnel Information Officer know to arrange Exit Interview Personnel Please let the Personnel Information Officer know to arrange Exit Interview 2b. Please indicate if you have already had the Exit Interview:

YES Date: NO

2c. Manager’s signature: Reason for Leaving

3. Please tick the main reason(s) for leaving:

Retirement Early Retirement

New Job Travel Problems

Expiry of Fixed-term Contract Pregnancy/Childcare issues

Pressure of Work/Stress Career Progression

Redundancy Working hours/conditions

Job Content Working relationships

Pay Promotion

Relocating ll Health

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4. Please expand on the above, or give further details, to explain/clarify your reasons:

If reason for leaving is due to expiry of a Fixed-term Contract then please answer the following questions 5 to 11, otherwise go to question 12.

5. Did your letter of appointment clearly set out the length of the fixed-term contract, giving a start and finish date?

YES NO

6. Did your letter of appointment set out the reason for the fixed-term contract? e.g. Secondment/Maternity cover.

YES NO

7. Did you have a review meeting with your Manager mid way through the fixed-term contract? (This would be to discuss whether the contract might be extended or not)

YES NO

8. Did you receive a letter confirming the outcome of the meeting?

YES NO

9. If the contract was extended, did you receive a notice of renewal prior to expiry of contract?

YES NO

10. When the contract was terminated, did you meet with your Manager to discuss the termination?

YES NO

11. Did you receive a letter confirming the outcome of this meeting?

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12. Where are you going?

NHS Organisation Public Sector

Private Sector Self Employed

Education/Training No Employment

Retired Moving out of the area

Other

13. What could have prevented you leaving your post with us? Better Pay/Terms & Conditions

Promotion/Career Prospects Better working relationships Better working conditions/patterns Training & Development

Nothing

Working for NHS Highland

14. Do you feel you were adequately/appropriately inducted into your post?

YES NO DON’T KNOW

15. Please expand:

16. Did you receive adequate training within your role?

YES NO DON’T KNOW

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18. Do you have an up to date KSF outline?

YES NO

19. Did you have an annual PDP review?

YES NO

20. Do you feel that your Manager kept you well informed in your workplace?

YES NO

21. Do you feel that your Manager provided/allowed access to appropriate training?

YES NO

22. Do you feel that your Manager involved you in decisions which affected you?

YES NO

23. Do you feel that your Manager treated you fairly and consistently?

YES NO

24. Do you feel that your Manager ensured that your working environment was safe?

YES NO

25. Was morale in your Department:

Very Good Good Fair Poor

26. What would have helped morale?

27. Was the communication in your Department:

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Please give any other comments you wish to make about working for NHS Highland and/or your reasons for leaving below.

Please return your form to the Personnel Information Officer, Personnel Team, John Dewar Building, Inverness Retail & Business Park, Highlander Way,

Inverness, IV2 7GE

Thank you for your time and honesty in answering these questions and your contribution to the Team and Services. Best wishes for the future.