The research was conducted within the People & Culture team at Focus Group and focused on the exit interview process, early employee lifecycle support, and internal feedback tools. A qualitative research approach was adopted, involving semi-structured interviews with five key stakeholders across the People & Culture team, including senior leadership, business partner, talent acquisition, core HR, and people operations. This approach helped explore perceptions, experiences, and practical challenges associated with the collection and use of exit interview data.

The findings suggest that although exit interviews are generally seen as useful, their current impact is limited by several factors. These include low response rates, outdated or unclear questions, inconsistent analysis, and a lack of clear ownership for acting on the data. Feedback on career progression, learning and development, pay, and benefits was consistently highlighted across participants. However, these themes do not always lead to timely or visible organisational change. The research also found a gap earlier in the employee lifecycle, particularly during the first 6 to 12 months of employment. Regular check-ins during this period, such as 60- or 90-day reviews, could help identify problems before employees decide to leave.

The project concludes that exit interview data could do much more to improve retention if it were better integrated with other People & Culture decisions. This includes areas such as onboarding, manager support, and early-engagement initiatives. The recommendations aim to improve the exit interview process, enhance data sharing while maintaining confidentiality, and introduce earlier intervention points to reduce unnecessary turnover. These recommendations aim to support Focus Group in developing a more proactive and evidence-based approach to employee retention.