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The Stay Interview Landscape: Implementation and Alternatives

Organizations approach employee retention in a variety of ways, and the use of stay interviews is no exception. 

Some companies have embraced stay interviews as a core component of their talent management strategy, while others have opted for alternative approaches. 

In this post, we explore this diverse landscape, gathering insights from HR and business leaders across different industries. 

We asked them to share their experiences with stay interviews: those who conduct them detail their program’s objectives, frequency, core questions, and designated interviewers; those who don’t explain the factors that led to that decision. 

Their responses offer a valuable perspective on the strategic considerations involved in choosing the right retention strategies for your organization.

Read on!

Ashish Gaur
HR Consultant

Understand Employee Motivations Through Stay Interviews

We recognize the importance of employee engagement and retention. Stay interviews are valuable tools for understanding employee motivations, concerns, and expectations.

Why: They help identify factors that enhance job satisfaction and address potential attrition risks proactively.

When: Typically conducted annually or biannually, or when key talent shows signs of disengagement.

What: Discussions focus on career growth, work environment, challenges, and suggestions for improvement.

Who: Conducted by HR or direct supervisors to foster open and constructive dialogue.

If you’d like to explore best practices or implementation strategies, I’d be happy to share insights based on my experience in HRM and employee engagement.

Angela Heyroth
Principal, Talent Centric Designs

Conduct Engagement Chats Regularly

Stay interviews are intentional conversations you have with your employees about what they like about your organization, what they may need changed in order to continue growing or staying motivated, and if they are feeling valued.

I like to encourage all people leaders to have them at least annually, rather than reserving them for when there is a turnover crisis or you think someone is about to quit. 

By scheduling them on a recurring basis (annual, biannual, or quarterly) and calling them something like “Engagement Chat,” “Career Check-in,” or “Touch-Base Conversation,” it becomes less focused on a checkbox and more focused on getting feedback from the employees to ensure that the environment continues as one in which they can engage and be challenged, as well as help them see how great they are doing and how well a match they are to the company so they don’t consider leaving. 

Whatever you call it, it should be clearly different from a standard one-on-one or a performance check-in.

Some great questions to consider are:

What have you felt really good about accomplishing so far this year?

How close does this role match your dream job?

What’s been your worst day so far this year and how can I make sure that’s not repeated for you?

What talent do you have that I can better leverage?

Ann Kuss
CEO, Outstaff Your Team

Integrate Stay Interviews Into One-On-Ones

Stay interviews are one of the most valuable yet underrated retention tools.

We don’t treat them as formal sit-downs but integrate them naturally into one-on-ones and key milestones. This way, employees feel comfortable sharing real insights rather than rehearsed answers.

Every manager in our organization is equipped with a framework to ask the right questions, listen actively, and identify patterns across teams.

The goal isn’t just to understand why people stay but to spot early warning signs before they consider leaving.

A few things that make these conversations effective: timing matters–we avoid scheduling them during high-stress periods or major deadlines. We also group insights across teams to implement meaningful changes instead of treating feedback in isolation.

The key? Undivided attention and follow-up. If employees take the time to share, they need to see action.

Stay interviews work when they lead to real improvements — not just another checkbox in HR’s playbook.

Gearl Loden
Leadership Consultant & Speaker, Loden Leadership + Consulting

Act on Stay Interview Insights

At our organization, we believe that listening to employees isn’t just good leadership–it’s smart strategy.

One of the ways we do this is through stay interviews.

Our team visits each campus and facility, meeting one-on-one with a select group of employees who have been with us for at least three years.

These candid conversations go beyond surveys, uncovering what truly matters to our employees–why they stay, what keeps them engaged, and where we can improve.

And we don’t just listen–we act.

Thanks to the insights gained from stay interviews and employee surveys, we’ve made meaningful, employee-driven changes.

We’ve revamped how we communicate our benefits program, introduced an employee gym, increased sick day payouts, and added bereavement days to better support our team.

These changes have made a difference.

Since implementing stay interviews, we’ve seen higher engagement, stronger retention, and a workplace culture that people want to be part of.

One long-term employee recently shared, “Knowing my feedback directly led to real changes makes me feel valued in a way I haven’t experienced elsewhere.”

If you’re not conducting stay interviews, now is the time to start.

Listening and acting on employee feedback isn’t just about retention–it’s about building a workplace where people thrive.

Max Shak
Founder & CEO, Zapiy

Foster Continuous Engagement

At Zapiy, we believe in open, ongoing conversations with our team, but we don’t conduct formal stay interviews in the traditional sense. Instead, we focus on continuous engagement through regular one-on-one check-ins and team feedback loops.

Why? Because we want to catch small frustrations before they become big reasons to leave.

We’ve found that when employees feel heard only once a year in a structured “stay interview,” it can feel like a formality rather than a meaningful dialogue. Instead, we foster an environment where feedback is always welcome, whether it’s in a structured meeting or a casual chat.

That said, if I were to implement stay interviews, I’d prioritize:

When: Every six months, to identify trends early.

Who: Every team member, with direct managers leading the conversation.

What: Honest discussions about job satisfaction, growth opportunities, and any roadblocks.

My biggest concern with formal stay interviews is that they can sometimes feel too little, too late.

If leaders are waiting until an interview to address engagement issues, they’ve already missed critical moments to listen, act, and retain great people.

Nikita Sherbina
Co-Founder & CEO, AIScreen

Head Off Problems with Stay Interviews

We conduct stay interviews at our organization and they’ve become a big part of our employee retention strategy.

The “why” behind them is simple: we want to know why our employees stay with us, what motivates them and what could make their experience even better. This helps us head off problems before they become turnover.

We do stay interviews during performance reviews or after a big milestone like a year with the company.

The “what” is about job satisfaction, work environment, team dynamics and areas for improvement. We ask about growth opportunities and if they feel valued and supported.

As for the “who”, the interviews are usually conducted by the employee’s direct manager or HR depending on the individual’s comfort level. We make sure it’s a relaxed non-judgmental conversation so employees feel safe to share their feedback.

These have helped us reduce turnover by highlighting areas that needed attention like better communication or more development opportunities.

They’ve been huge in building our company culture and making employees feel heard and appreciated.

Austin Benton
Marketing Consultant, Gotham Artists

Use Casual Coffee Check-Ins

We don’t do traditional stay interviews–frankly, they feel too much like performance reviews in disguise.

Instead, we have casual “coffee check-ins,” spontaneous, low-pressure chats where employees can genuinely share what’s going well and what’s getting under their skin.

These happen every quarter, no forms, no formalities, just authentic conversations. Managers initiate these, but anyone can request one anytime.

We’ve found this method opens up honest dialog far better than scheduled, structured sit-downs.

The informal setting lets people relax, speak freely, and actually voice what matters–rather than checking boxes to satisfy HR.

Mohammed Kamal
Business Development Manager, Olavivo

Boost Retention with Stay Interviews

Stay interviews are proactive discussions aimed at boosting employee engagement and retention.

They help organizations enhance retention by identifying factors that keep employees satisfied, pinpoint areas for improvement in the work environment, and strengthen relationships to foster loyalty.

By gauging employee sentiment early, managers can address potential issues before they escalate, creating a more inclusive and committed workplace.

Michael Kazula
Director of Marketing, Olavivo

Enhance Engagement with Stay Interviews

Stay interviews are discussions between managers and employees aimed at understanding the reasons for employee retention and identifying areas for improvement.

Unlike exit interviews, which focus on departures, stay interviews seek to enhance satisfaction and engagement, particularly crucial in the affiliate marketing sector where retaining skilled professionals is vital.

These interviews not only help retain talent but also foster enhanced employee engagement through active feedback.

Alex Cornici
Writer, Cheap Places To Go

Retain Talent with Stay Interviews

Stay interviews have become a cornerstone strategy for our organization to retain talent and ensure employee satisfaction.

Essentially, these interviews serve as a preemptive strike against potential employee turnover by allowing us to address concerns and gather feedback in a constructive manner.

We typically conduct them annually, providing a comfortable space for employees and managers to discuss current job roles, career aspirations, and potential areas for improvement within the company structure.

The “who” of these interviews often includes department leaders and HR representatives who are trained to conduct these sessions effectively.

They’re particularly keen on understanding the employee’s personal engagement and commitment levels, gauging their feelings toward the workplace culture and career development opportunities available within the organization.

This open dialogue helps us to tailor professional development more accurately and enhance job satisfaction, fostering a more committed and content workforce.

In conclusion, incorporating stay interviews has markedly improved our employee retention rates and workplace morale, proving to be an invaluable tool in our HR practices.

The HR Spotlight team thanks these industry leaders for offering their expertise and experience and sharing these insights.

Do you wish to contribute to the next HR Spotlight article? Or is there an insight or idea you’d like to share with readers across the globe?

Write to us at connect@HRSpotlight.com, and our team will help you share your insights.

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