Build a question set, conduct the interview, and record notes — all in one place.
This rating is more sensitive than the interview notes. Keep it off shared screens and out of anything the employee could see.
Your completed and in-progress stay interviews.
Best practices for conducting effective stay interviews.
The risk rating itself is confidential. Treat it as more sensitive than the notes underneath it — don't leave it visible on a shared screen, and don't include it in anything the employee might see.
Unlike exit interviews — which are organizational autopsies — stay interviews are proactive retention conversations. They signal to employees that their experience matters before disengagement sets in.
Research shows that replacing a single employee costs 50–200% of their annual salary. For senior or specialized roles, replacement costs can reach 213%. Stay interviews are among the highest-ROI retention tools available to managers.
The most effective cadence: conduct them annually for all staff, and immediately for any employee who exhibits flight risk signals — project withdrawal, reduced output, or changed behaviour.