Exit interviews are often associated with permanent employees, helping organisations understand why people leave and what can be improved to boost retention. However, many businesses overlook the value of conducting exit interviews with temporary staff and contractors—missing out on insights that can strengthen performance, culture, and future hiring strategies.
Why They Matter
Temporary staff may only be with your business for a short time, but their perspective is uniquely valuable. They experience your workplace culture, management style, systems, and processes—often with a fresh set of eyes. Because they are not tied to long-term employment, their feedback is usually candid and objective, making it a powerful tool for identifying strengths and addressing potential gaps.
What You Can Learn
By taking just 15 minutes to conduct an exit interview with a temp or contractor, you can gather meaningful insights, such as:
- Overall experience: How did they find working in your business?
- Management style: Did they feel supported by their manager?
- Recommendation potential: Would they recommend your company to others?
- Culture and environment: How would they describe your workplace culture?
- Role design:
What were the strengths and weaknesses of the role?
Given the time and resources invested in hiring temporary staff, leveraging their experience to improve future contracts is a smart investment.
Best Practices for Exit Interviews with Temps
If you decide to conduct exit interviews with temporary staff, keep these tips in mind:
- Be consistent – Interview all departing temps and contractors, regardless of their length of service or reason for leaving. This ensures a well-rounded view.
- Keep it simple
– Make the process straightforward and stress-free. A short, structured conversation is often all that’s needed.
- Act on feedback
– Don’t just collect feedback—use it. If patterns of dissatisfaction emerge, take steps to address them. Closing the loop shows you value employee input and are committed to improvement.
The Business Advantage
Conducting exit interviews with temporary staff is about more than just saying goodbye. It’s about maximising the value of their experience with your organisation. Their insights can help you refine processes, improve workplace culture, boost efficiency, and ultimately strengthen employee retention, both temporary and permanent.
By actively listening to temps and contractors, you not only gain honest feedback but also position your business to make better-informed decisions for the future.
