Survey template · 5 questions
Exit survey template
People are most honest about a job on their way out of it — if you ask in a way that feels safe. A structured, anonymous exit survey captures candid reasons for leaving that a face-to-face exit interview with HR often smooths over.
This template starts with the question that matters most — the primary reason for leaving, as a multiple choice so you can quantify patterns across departures — then checks manager support and whether the person felt valued, asks if they would consider returning, and closes with the single most useful question you can ask a leaver: what should we fix first?
The questions in this template
Every question is editable in the survey builder before you activate — change wording, reorder, or add your own questions.
Q1 · Multiple choice
What is the primary reason you are leaving?
- Compensation
- Career growth
- Management
- Workload or burnout
- Company direction
- Personal circumstances
- Other
Q2 · Rating scale (1–5)
I felt supported by my direct manager.
Q3 · Rating scale (1–5)
My contributions were valued here.
Q4 · Yes / No
Would you consider returning in the future?
Q5 · Open text · optional
What is the one thing we should fix first?
When to use it
- As a standard step for every departure, so patterns become measurable
- Alongside (not instead of) a human exit conversation
- When turnover is rising and anecdotes need to become data
Frequently asked questions
- What should an exit survey ask?
- Lead with the primary reason for leaving as a multiple choice — compensation, growth, management, workload, direction, personal — so answers aggregate into trends. Then measure manager support and feeling valued, ask about willingness to return, and leave room for open feedback.
- Exit survey vs exit interview — do we need both?
- They do different jobs. The anonymous survey gets honest, comparable data across all leavers; the interview preserves the relationship and catches nuance. The survey is the one that produces trends you can act on.
- Why make exit surveys anonymous if the person is leaving anyway?
- Leavers still care about references, industry reputation, and former colleagues. Anonymity — enforced by aggregation and a five-respondent floor in MindSafe — is what turns polite feedback into accurate feedback.
Run this survey with anonymous, privacy-floored results.
This template ships inside MindSafe alongside the daily burnout pulse. Book a guided two-week pilot — we handle setup, employee import, and training.
Book your 2-week pilot