How To Conduct A Stay Interview To Keep Your Best And Brightest Employees

Disengagement remains a fact of work for more than half of America's workers, according to the experts at Gallup. And, with unemployment rates dropping and the economy continually improving, reducing turnover should be a priority for business leaders.

So, there's no better time then now for the new book, The Stay Interview, A Manager's Guide to Keeping the Best and the Brightest.

Stay interviews are periodic, private, one-on-one meetings between direct supervisors and employees, both newly-hired and long-timers.

The interviews shed light on any possible problems while there's still time for you to address them.

They have the sole purpose of encouraging people to talk about themselves and what makes them happy. They:

Reinforce good relationships
Forge new relationships
Help repair relationships that are strained

Stay interviews are not performance reviews or disciplinary sessions. They are not team meetings or focus groups. They are not focused on job performance. They are aimed instead at making employee's work lives more rewarding and comfortable.

Most important, stay interviews are the ticket to trust-building because they are delivered from the heart.

In too many companies, "They are the missing link between managers and employees," says author Richard P. Finnegan.

In his book, Finnegan shows you how to:

prepare to conduct stay interviews
anticipate your employee's top issues
establish trust
manage the exchange
respond to difficult questions
predict potential exits
avoid the 13 stay interview traps

Conducted correctly, a stay interview will help a leader/manager learn what employees:

look forward to when coming to work
are learning at work

... and why employees have considered leaving in the past.

If conducting a stay interview is new to you, Finnegan recommends that you:

not fear the responses you'll receive from your employees
don't redirect the interview to a performance management discussion
become defensive

The book also includes helpful sample scripts for different situations.

Finnegan is the CEO of C-Suite Analytics, a consultancy specializing in engagement and retention solutions.

Thanks to the book publisher for sending me an advance copy of the book.

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