The Exit Interview Myth: Why Speaking Up on Your Way Out Often Changes Nothing

Exit interviews are billed as a chance for departing employees to “leave on a good note” or help improve the workplace for those who remain. But for many, they feel like a final formality - an empty gesture where honest feedback goes to die.

Let’s be real: by the time someone’s handing in their laptop and badge, the decision to leave has already been made. And while HR may listen politely, there’s often little incentive - or authority - to act on what’s said. In many organisations, exit interviews are more about optics than outcomes. They check a box, record a comment, and file it away.

The problem isn’t just that feedback gets ignored. It’s that employees often see a pattern. They’ve watched colleagues speak up about burnout, poor leadership, or toxic culture - only to see nothing change. Why would it be different now, when the employee is already walking out the door?

Ironically, it’s not that people don’t want to help. Most would gladly offer honest insights to make things better. But when they’ve spent months (or years) feeling unheard, the idea that an exit interview will suddenly drive change feels naive at best.

Real improvement doesn’t come from post-mortems - it comes from cultures that listen before people decide to leave.

So if you’re debating whether to attend that final HR meeting, know this: you’re not obligated to relive your reasons for leaving just to tick another box. The most honest feedback a company can get is your resignation letter.

And sometimes, silence says everything.