The short answer
A stay interview is a conversation about what helps an employee remain and do good work, and what may make that harder. Ask about the work, support, development and changes the person would value. Listen without promising an outcome before you understand the request. Close with the action you can take or the question you still need to resolve.
1. Start with a clear purpose
Explain the purpose of the conversation and how you will use the feedback. Make no promises you cannot keep.
2. Make the work and ownership visible
Ask what helps the person do good work, what drains energy and which obstacles repeat. Listen for specific situations rather than pressing for a score.
3. Agree the next action
Agree what you will follow up on. Share progress with the person and keep confidential details out of broad team updates.
Leave with a usable decision.
Write down the next action, who owns it and when you will check the result. Keep the decision where the people doing the work can find it.
A practical example
A valued colleague says they want more development. The manager asks which work the person wants to be able to do next, rather than immediately offering a course. They identify a need to lead a small cross-team project. The agreed action is to explore a suitable assignment and return with a decision by a specific date.
A working template you can adapt
| Part of the work | What to record or ask |
|---|---|
| Stay | What makes you want to continue working here? |
| Friction | Which part of your work repeatedly gets in the way? |
| Development | What would you like to be able to do next? |
| Action | What is one change we should explore or make? |
Questions to work through
Is a stay interview a performance review?
Its main purpose is to understand the employee’s experience and reasons for staying. Keep that purpose clear. If a performance issue needs a separate discussion, do not surprise someone by turning the stay conversation into that review.
What if the employee requests something we cannot promise?
Acknowledge the request, explain what you can decide and agree when you will return with an answer. Be clear about constraints. Following up on an honest answer is more useful than making a promise you cannot keep.
Connect this with the next decision
Keep moving.
Employee retention
Turn employee feedback into a visible action
Close the loop with a specific change and an honest explanation.
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The software desk
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