How to handle negative feedback during an exit interview

When someone’s leaving your business, they’ve got nothing to lose by being honest.

That’s why exit interviews are so valuable. They’re often your only unfiltered view of what’s really happening inside your organisation.

Handled well, these conversations can help you improve engagement, reduce turnover, and protect your culture.

Here’s how to manage them effectively.

Stay calm and professional

Negative feedback is hard to hear, especially when it feels personal. But your approach matters more than the comments themselves.

• Listen without interrupting or getting defensive

• Ask open questions to understand context

• Take detailed, factual notes

• Look for patterns rather than one-off grievances

Staying composed shows maturity and professionalism. It also encourages more honest answers.

Bring in an objective perspective

Sometimes you’re too close to the situation to see it clearly.
This is where an external HR consultant can make a big difference.

A neutral third party can:

• Remove personal emotion from the process

• Keep questions consistent across all interviews

• Identify themes you might overlook

• Deliver structured feedback that leaders can actually act on

The goal isn’t to avoid criticism, it’s to learn from it.

Turn insights into action

Collecting feedback is only the first step. What matters next is what you do with it.

• Track recurring themes, not isolated comments

• Discuss findings with your leadership team

• Build clear action plans to address key issues

• Communicate any resulting changes back to staff

When people see that you act on feedback, trust grows, even among those who’ve left.

Protect confidentiality

• Always handle exit interview data securely.

• Summarise findings, but never share identifiable comments.

• Make sure your process meets GDPR and internal privacy standards.

Confidentiality encourages honest feedback and protects everyone involved.

Make exit interviews work for you

Exit interviews shouldn’t be a tick-box exercise.
When you take them seriously, they become one of your best sources of insight.

We can help you design a simple, confidential exit process that turns honest feedback into meaningful business improvements.

Get in touch today to find out how.