Stay Interview Questions: 12 Questions Managers Should Ask
What a stay interview is, why retention teams run them, and the 12 questions that surface real flight risk.
Definition
A stay interview is a structured 30 to 45 minute conversation between a manager and a current employee, designed to surface what is keeping them and what might cause them to leave. It is the opposite of an exit interview: you run it before someone resigns, not after. The format has roots in HBR research on voluntary attrition.
Why It Matters in Interviews
According to SHRM, replacement cost for a salaried employee runs 50 to 200 percent of annual salary. Stay interviews catch flight risk months before an offer letter shows up. They also surface team-wide issues that culture-fit interviews at the front of the funnel cannot.
How to Use It
Run it as a 1:1 conversation, not a survey. The 12 questions: 1) What is the best part of your week here? 2) What is the most frustrating? 3) What would you change about your role tomorrow if you could? 4) When did you last feel really engaged at work? 5) When did you last think about leaving, even briefly? 6) What would another company have to offer for you to consider it? 7) What skills do you want to build that you are not building here? 8) What does your manager do well, and what could they do differently? 9) Do you feel your work is recognized? 10) Are you proud to tell people where you work? 11) What would make next year better than this year? 12) What is one thing I should know that I have not asked? Related reading: Behavioral Interviewing and Culture Fit Interviews.
Example
A strong stay interview close: "I am going to act on three things you said today, and I will tell you which three by Friday." Specific commitments after the conversation are what turns a stay interview into actual retention.
Quick Tips
- Run stay interviews quarterly, not annually.
- Do not combine with performance reviews. The signal gets contaminated.
- Document themes, not direct quotes, when you share back to HR.
- Always close the loop with a written follow-up within one week.
FAQ
How often should we run stay interviews?
Every 6 months for most teams, every 3 months for high-attrition functions like sales and engineering.
Should HR or the direct manager run the stay interview?
The direct manager. Trust is what surfaces real signal. HR can train and template.
What if the employee asks for something we cannot give?
Be honest in the moment. Vague promises are worse than a clear "we cannot do that, here is what we can do".