© 2026 CoAd. All rights reserved.
A stay interview is a targeted conversation where managers ask current employees what keeps them around, and what might tempt them to walk out the door. Unlike an exit interview, which only collects feedback after someone hands in their two weeks' notice, stay interviews happen early enough for leadership to actually fix issues and keep top talent.
A stay interview is a 20- to 45-minute conversation between an employee and their manager about their work experience and long-term plans. Unlike exit interviews, which analyze voluntary turnover after an employee resigns, stay interviews reveal fixable problems while the employee is still with the company. They allow managers to address personal concerns directly rather than relying on an aggregate pulse survey. Companies typically conduct them once or twice a year, prioritizing high performers and key retention risks.
The biggest risk is asking for feedback without acting on it. To maintain trust, managers must follow up on feedback, escalate issues when necessary, and avoid asking about protected characteristics or medical conditions.
Ask what keeps the employee engaged, what could be improved, what might tempt them to leave, and whether they feel appreciated.
Managers or skip-level leaders typically run them once or twice yearly, focusing on top performers and employees at critical career milestones.
Creating expectations that go unmet. Failing to address raised issues damages trust more than not asking at all.