Workforce and Retention

Ask employees what would make work better—and close the loop

Author

By Phil Hering

Published:

November 12, 2026

Updated:

November 12, 2026

Reading time

4 minute read

Direct answer: Before buying another retention solution, ask employees about the work itself. Use a focused stay interview, choose a practical response and tell the employee what happens next. The useful output is a clear decision and follow-through, not a promise that nobody will leave.

Evergreen operating guide | Last verified November 10, 2026

Hypothetical example: A manufacturing supervisor assumes the team wants a new scheduling app. In a conversation with an employee, the problem becomes more specific: shift changes sometimes arrive without a clear explanation of which job takes priority. The employee is asking for a dependable handoff, not necessarily another login.

That conversation has not proved what the whole workforce needs. It has produced a better question to investigate.

Make room for an honest conversation

A stay interview is a structured discussion about an employee's experience and reasons for staying or considering leaving. The University of Nebraska–Lincoln's HR guidance emphasizes preparation, listening and follow-up. It separates the conversation from a performance review or corrective-action discussion. [1]

For a small employer, the owner might conduct these conversations. A larger organization can prepare managers to use a consistent core of questions. Include different shifts, locations and roles over time; do not build the picture only from the employees who are easiest to reach.

Tell the employee why you are asking. A useful opening is: “I want to understand what helps you do good work here and what gets in the way. I may not be able to change everything, but I will tell you what I can do next.”

Schedule enough uninterrupted time for a real answer. Share the questions in advance if that helps the employee prepare. Do not promise absolute confidentiality or immediate changes you cannot deliver.

Ask for examples before proposing solutions

Use these original prompts as a starting point, adapting them to the role:

1. Which part of a normal workday would you most like us to protect?
2. Where do you lose time waiting, repeating work or looking for an answer?
3. Can you walk me through the last time that happened?
4. What would a useful improvement look like from your side?
5. What have I not asked that would help me understand your experience here?

Listen for the difference between a proposed solution and the concern underneath it. “We need a new app” might mean information is late, approvals are unclear or the existing tool is hard to use. Ask which problem the employee expects the app to solve.

The UW–Madison School of Medicine and Public Health toolkit describes stay interviews as employee-centered conversations that require managers to consider and follow up on what they learn. Its guidance is an institutional practice resource, not an employer mandate or a guaranteed retention result. [2]

Use a follow-up worksheet

Recommended worksheet for the manager; avoid unnecessary personal detail:

For the hypothetical manufacturer, the first action might be to test a clearer shift-priority handoff. The useful signal could be whether employees can identify the next priority without chasing another person. That is an operating test, not proof of a retention outcome.

Be clear about the limits

Pay, benefits, workload and relationships may all come up. Do not dismiss a concern because it falls outside the original questions. Equally, do not turn the conversation into an immediate negotiation or performance rating. Separate the issue, identify the appropriate process and explain the next step.

If an employee raises a safety issue, a complaint or an accommodation question, route it promptly through the relevant process. A stay interview is not a substitute for handling those matters. This guide does not set legal investigation or response deadlines.

There is no new legal requirement or seasonal filing date behind this article. It is useful whenever an owner is deciding where to invest attention, including year-end planning. The format can be simplified for a very small team or coordinated across a larger workforce.

Your next steps

These are recommended practices, not mandatory steps:

1. Explain the purpose: Invite a focused conversation, separate from the performance review.
2. Ask for a specific example: Do this before choosing a solution.
3. Record a bounded action: Or an honest explanation, with an owner and review date.
4. Close the loop: Update the employee and check whether the action addressed the original concern.

Team question: What have employees already told us that we have not answered clearly?

A Quick Second Look with Navigator Strategy can help turn one recurring workforce concern into a useful next question. When the concerns connect across pay, benefits and administration, a Comprehensive Business Second Look offers a broader view. Phil's 30-minute introduction is a low-pressure place to start.

General education and operating guidance only. Adapt the process to your workforce and consult qualified advisers when employee concerns raise legal obligations. Institutional sources checked November 10, 2026. The questions and worksheet are Navigator editorial recommendations; no quantitative retention claim is made.