What is a stay interview?
A stay interview is a one-on-one conversation between an employer (or manager) and an employee with the goal of understanding what motivates the employee to stay at the company—and what might cause them to leave. Unlike exit interviews, which happen after someone has resigned, stay interviews are proactive. They help you uncover issues early and improve retention before employees start heading for the door.
For small business owners, stay interviews offer a powerful opportunity to connect with team members, strengthen morale, and reduce costly turnover. With tools like Homebase, you can manage team communication, track employee performance, and build a culture that encourages people to stay.
Why stay interviews matter for small businesses
Losing even one reliable team member can disrupt operations and hurt morale—especially in small teams where every employee plays a key role. Stay interviews help you:
- Identify problems before they escalate
- Strengthen relationships with employees
- Uncover what motivates and satisfies your team
- Reduce unexpected resignations
- Demonstrate that you value employee input
While exit interviews focus on reasons someone left, stay interviews reveal what you can do to make employees want to stay—and thrive.
When to conduct a stay interview
There’s no one-size-fits-all schedule for stay interviews, but they’re most effective when conducted:
- Once or twice a year as part of your regular employee check-ins
- After the first 90 days to assess how new hires are adjusting
- When an employee shows signs of disengagement or declining performance
- When you’re trying to retain high performers who are essential to your business
You don’t have to wait for signs of trouble—proactive conversations build trust and make employees feel heard.
How to prepare for a stay interview
The success of a stay interview depends on the preparation you put into it. Follow these steps to get the most value out of the conversation:
- Schedule time in advance – Let the employee know this is a positive, future-focused conversation—not a disciplinary meeting.
- Choose a quiet, private setting – Create a space where employees feel comfortable sharing honestly.
- Prepare open-ended questions – Your goal is to listen and learn, not to evaluate.
- Bring a notepad (or digital tool) – Take notes and track insights to follow up on later.
With the right setup, employees are more likely to open up—and that’s when you get the most valuable feedback.
Sample stay interview questions
Here are some proven questions to guide your stay interview:
- What do you look forward to when coming to work each day?
- What part of your job do you enjoy the most—and the least?
- Do you feel recognized and appreciated for your work?
- Is there anything you’d change about your job or the team?
- Do you see opportunities for growth here?
- Have you ever thought about leaving? If so, what prompted those thoughts?
- What can I do as a manager to better support you?
The goal is not to solve every issue on the spot, but to gather honest feedback and look for patterns across your team.
What to do with the feedback
Stay interviews are only effective if you act on what you learn. After the conversation:
- Thank the employee for their honesty and let them know their feedback matters.
- Look for quick wins—small changes you can implement immediately to build trust.
- Track recurring themes across different stay interviews to spot larger cultural or operational issues.
- Prioritize meaningful changes that impact job satisfaction, such as better scheduling, clearer communication, or career development opportunities.
- Follow up—check in after a few weeks to let employees know what’s been improved based on their input.
Even if you can’t implement every suggestion, employees will appreciate the effort—and your willingness to listen.
Stay interview vs. performance review
While both involve manager-employee conversations, a stay interview is different from a performance review in several key ways:
- Stay interviews are about the employee’s experience
- Performance reviews are about the employee’s performance
- Stay interviews are conversational and informal
- Performance reviews tend to be structured and evaluative
- Stay interviews focus on the future and how to retain the employee
When done together, both tools provide a more complete picture of employee engagement.
Common challenges and how to avoid them
Stay interviews can backfire if not handled carefully. Avoid these common mistakes:
- Being defensive when receiving critical feedback
- Asking leading or closed-ended questions that shut down conversation
- Failing to act on what you hear, which erodes trust
- Treating it like a box-checking exercise rather than a real opportunity to connect
- Making promises you can’t keep—instead, focus on transparency and follow-through
Train your managers to approach these conversations with empathy, curiosity, and a solutions-focused mindset.
How Homebase helps you retain top talent
Managing a great team isn’t just about hiring—it’s about keeping the people who make your business run. Homebase helps small business owners build stronger teams by simplifying scheduling, improving communication, and creating transparency around hours, pay, and performance.
With Homebase, you can:
- Keep a pulse on employee satisfaction with team messaging and shift feedback
- Spot early signs of disengagement through attendance tracking and shift coverage gaps
- Onboard new hires consistently so they feel supported from day one
- Reward reliable employees with performance data and shift metrics
- Simplify management so you have more time for meaningful one-on-one conversations
Explore Homebase Hiring and Onboarding to make stay interviews part of a broader strategy to keep your team engaged and your business running smoothly.