Many employers struggle to get to the bottom of why staff leave, this is due to a number of factors including a desire on the part of leaving staff to avoid burning any bridges in their exit interview. These overly-positive accounts from leavers means HR departments can struggle to stem the tide of departures, are endlessly in expensive, time-consuming recruitment cycles, and thus lose the expertise and continuity gained from long service.

In light of this: how can managers find out the real reasons behind staff departures? How can exit interviews be designed to solicit honest, useful responses?