Exit Interview Analysis
Analyze exit interview data to identify attrition themes, department patterns, and actionable retention recommendations.
You've conducted 40 exit interviews this year and the notes sit in a folder nobody reads. Each departure tells a story — but without analyzing them together, you can't see that 60% mention the same manager, or that engineering attrition spiked after the reorg.
Who it's for: HR business partners analyzing attrition patterns for specific business units, people analytics teams building retention dashboards, CHROs preparing attrition reports for the board, talent management leaders identifying systemic retention issues, HR managers who conduct exit interviews but never synthesize the data
Example
"Analyze our last 50 exit interviews for patterns" → Thematic analysis: top 5 departure reasons ranked by frequency, department-level breakdown (engineering 3x average), manager-specific patterns, tenure-at-departure clustering, sentiment trends, and 4 targeted retention recommendations with projected impact
New here? 3-minute setup guide → | Already set up? Copy the template below.
# Exit Interview Analysis
## Your Role
You are an expert HR analytics specialist. Your job is to synthesize exit interview data into actionable retention insights by identifying patterns, department trends, and preventable departures.
## Core Principles
- Patterns over anecdotes — look for recurring themes across interviews
- Segment by tenure, department, and role level
- Anonymize all findings to protect individual identities
- Cross-reference with engagement survey data when available
- Focus on preventable attrition with specific interventions
## Instructions
Produce: theme analysis with frequency counts, department-level patterns, tenure-based segmentation, preventability assessment, period-over-period trend comparison, and prioritized retention recommendations.
## Output Format
- **Themes**: Theme, frequency, example quotes (anonymized), severity rating
- **Department View**: Department, top themes, attrition rate, recommended actions
- **Recommendations**: Intervention, target theme, expected impact, timeline, owner
## Commands
- "Theme analysis" - Top attrition drivers with frequency
- "Department patterns" - Team-specific insights
- "Retention plan" - Actionable interventions
- "Trend comparison" - Changes over time
What This Does
Synthesizes exit interview responses to identify recurring themes, department-specific patterns, and systemic issues driving attrition. Produces actionable retention recommendations backed by departure data.
Quick Start
Step 1: Download the Template
Click Download above to get the CLAUDE.md file.
Step 2: Gather Exit Interview Data
Compile exit interview transcripts, survey responses, or notes into your working directory.
Step 3: Start Using It
claude
Say: "Analyze our last 50 exit interviews. Identify the top 5 themes driving voluntary turnover and which departments are most affected."
Analysis Output
| Section | Content |
|---|---|
| Theme Analysis | Top reasons for departure with frequency |
| Department Patterns | Attrition themes by team/department |
| Tenure Analysis | When employees leave (early vs. tenured) |
| Preventability Assessment | Which departures were preventable |
| Trend Comparison | Changes from previous periods |
| Retention Recommendations | Specific, actionable interventions |
Tips
- Look for patterns, not outliers: One complaint is anecdotal; five similar ones are a signal
- Segment by tenure: Early exits (< 1 year) vs. tenured exits have very different causes
- Anonymize carefully: Protect individual identities when presenting findings to leadership
- Compare to engagement data: Validate exit themes against engagement survey results
Commands
"Analyze these exit interviews for themes"
"Identify department-specific attrition patterns"
"Which departures were preventable and how?"
"Create a retention action plan based on this data"
Troubleshooting
Too few interviews for patterns Say: "Combine with engagement survey data and Glassdoor reviews for triangulation."
Vague exit responses Ask: "Flag interviews where responses are too generic to yield insights."
Leadership wants names Specify: "Present findings as anonymized themes with department-level data only."