If you’re only having meaningful conversations with your people as they’re walking out the door, you’re already too late. Exit interviews might give you a few cool insights, but by the time you’re holding that conversation, your people have already disengaged, lined up their next opportunity, and emotionally moved on.
Stay interviews flip that script. Instead of asking, “Why did you leave?”, you ask, “What makes you stay?” . . . while you still have time to do something about it.
Why They Matter
Employee turnover in Aotearoa New Zealand currently sits between 21–30%. In a world of skills shortages and changing expectations, retention isn’t a “nice to have”, it’s a critical competitive advantage.
At the heart of it, your people are asking one simple question:
👉 “Do I have a future here?”
The best talent won’t stay just because they have a job. They’ll stay if they’re thriving, growing, and truly believe they belong. Stay interviews give leaders a practical, human way to make that happen.
What a Stay Interview Is (and Isn’t)
A stay interview is a one-on-one, curious, and trust-based conversation between a leader and a team member. Done well, it helps uncover what motivates them, what frustrates them, and what keeps them engaged.
It is:
- A genuine conversation, not a performance review.
- A space for curiosity, not judgement.
- An opportunity to listen and act, not to persuade.
It is not:
- A disguised HR tick-box exercise.
- An interrogation.
- Something HR should “run” for leaders. (This is a leadership move, not an HR process.)
The Benefits
Stay interviews aren’t a fad, they work. Here’s why:
- Retention | They surface issues before they become resignations.
- Engagement | Simply asking the questions signals that people matter.
- Trust | Leaders who listen build connection and loyalty.
- Insights | Run across the organisation, they reveal cultural gaps, blind spots, and opportunities.
- Cost savings | Replacing people is expensive. A 45-minute conversation is not.
As Gallup reports, more than half of employees are currently looking for another job. The question is . . . do you know who, and why?
How to Run Them Well
A few best-practice tips:
- Timing | New hires at 90 and 180 days; existing staff at least once a year.
- Structure | 30–45 minutes, with leaders listening 80% of the time.
- Questions | Ask things like “What motivates you to stay here?” or “What’s one thing we could improve for you?”
- Follow-through | The golden rule!!!! Don’t ask if you’re not prepared to act.
The Payoff
When leaders run stay interviews consistently, they see reduced turnover, higher engagement, stronger culture, and a reputation as an organisation that genuinely listens. In a tight labour market, that’s gold.
Because here’s the truth: every time someone walks out the door, you’re losing knowledge, capability, and relationships. That’s avoidable.
Final Word
Stay interviews aren’t magic. But they are one of the most human, high-impact tools leaders have for keeping great people. They cost little, they show care, and they give you insights that no engagement survey ever will.
Don’t wait for the exit interview. Have the stay conversation today. When you do, you flip the story from “We’re losing our best people” to “We keep our best.”
✨ Want to know more? At Radical HR we’ve built a practical resource bank of questions, insights, and tools to help leaders embed stay interviews into their culture. Get in touch if you’d like to explore how this could work in your organisation.
For more information on stay interviews, a resource bank of questions linked to Job Embeddedness Theory, or to start a conversation around how to bring this into your workplace – contact Lisa on the details below.
Author:
Lisa Shaw
Chief Empowerment Office (CEO) / Founder
Radical HR
lisa@radicalhr.nz
029 226 8862