How to Have Fewer Exit Interviews in 2025

I know I’m not the only one to have had a top-tier employee unexpectedly resign.

And I also know I’m not the only one to find out in their exit interview that they were resigning due to issues that could have been addressed months earlier – if only I had known.

Approaching talent retention reactively costs businesses BIG. Lost talent. Lost time. Lost money. And lots of frustration all around. ??

Where We Miss the Mark

Here's how traditional performance reviews go: a one-sided conversation where the employee is measured up against metrics, KPIs, OKRs, and tasks completed.

But this approach misses critical retention aspects: Is the employee a good fit for their position? Are they engaged, aligned, and equipped with what they need to make an impact in their role?

Most importantly, as leaders, are we aware of these things?

• 52% of voluntarily exiting employees say their manager could have done something to prevent them from leaving (Gallup)
• 51% of employees are actively looking for a new job or watching for openings (Gallup)
• Employees who feel strongly valued by their manager are 87% less likely to leave their organization. (TINYpulse)

The solution for having fewer surprise exit interviews is implementing proactive systems that make them unnecessary.

A Proactive Approach: Healthy F.I.T. Conversations

Instead of waiting until people leave to understand their challenges, what if you built regular check-ins designed to surface issues while there's still time to address them?

This is where the Healthy F.I.T. methodology comes in – a structured approach to regular conversations that ensures each team member is in the right role with the right support.

The Healthy F.I.T. framework addresses four critical questions:

1. Healthy: Do they align with your organization’s core values?
2. Fuel: Does this role fuel their unique genius?
3. Impact: Can they create meaningful impact in this position?
4. Timely: Is this role aligned with their experience, expertise, and career trajectory?

By implementing both weekly quick check-ins and quarterly deeper conversations around these elements, you create an environment where people feel heard, issues surface early, and adjustments can be made before good employees head for the door.

Organizations that implement regular structured check-ins report:

• Increased employee retention
• Higher engagement scores
• Greater transparency and trust
• Earlier identification of role misalignments
• More effective professional development

How to Lead Effective Healthy F.I.T. Conversations

Get a detailed breakdown of exactly how to implement Healthy F.I.T. conversations, including suggested agendas, conversation guides, key questions, and tips for making these check-ins truly effective — it’s all hitting inboxes tomorrow!?

Not a member of the Email Club?

?? Subscribe now and get the guide to Healthy F.I.T. conversations in your inbox tomorrow morning. ??

In the meantime, I'd love to hear: How are you currently checking in with your team members? What's working well, and what could be improved?