When an employee decides to leave, many companies rush through the formalities — clearance forms, laptop returns, final pay. Yet one powerful step is often overlooked: the exit interview. For HR professionals and business leaders in Indonesia, this process offers valuable insights into workplace culture, management effectiveness, and employee satisfaction.

Purpose and Concept

An exit interview is a structured conversation held at the end of employment. Its purpose is not to persuade the employee to stay, but to understand their reasons for leaving, gather feedback, and identify trends that may affect retention.
In Indonesia, where maintaining harmony (kekeluargaan) remains a cultural value, exit interviews help employers close relationships respectfully while collecting honest insights for organizational improvement.

Legal Framework in Indonesia

While Indonesian labor law — notably Law No. 13 of 2003 on Manpower and the Job Creation Law (Omnibus Law) — does not specifically regulate exit interviews, they align with principles of fair employment practice and transparency.
Information gathered must comply with data protection standards under Law No. 27 of 2022 on Personal Data Protection, ensuring confidentiality of employee responses.

Real Case Example

In 2022, a major Indonesian fintech company used exit interview data to identify a recurring reason for turnover — limited career growth. The findings led to a redesign of its internal mobility program, reducing voluntary resignations by 18% within a year. This shows how exit interviews, when analyzed systematically, can directly improve retention strategies.

Best Practices for Employers

1. Conduct interviews face-to-face or via confidential digital forms.
   
2. Use neutral facilitators (HR or third-party) to encourage honest responses.
   
3. Ask open-ended, specific questions such as:
   
   • “What motivated your decision to leave?”
     
   • “How would you describe your relationship with your manager?”
     
   • “What could we improve to make the company a better place to work?”
     
4. Summarize key insights in reports — not as blame, but as lessons for leadership.
   
5. Protect all data and avoid sharing responses publicly.
   

Conclusion

Exit interviews are not merely administrative; they are strategic. For Indonesian companies — and especially foreign employers — this step transforms employee departures into opportunities for growth, learning, and stronger workplace culture.

References

• Law No. 13/2003 on Manpower (as amended by Job Creation Law)
  
• Law No. 27/2022 on Personal Data Protection
  
• Case: XYZ Fintech Internal HR Report, 2022