The power of stay interviews: retain before they resign

The South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations (SDAHO) continues to assist the health care community and our members with workforce solutions. Through a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grant, SDAHO has increased and elevated workforce opportunities. Each month members of the South Dakota Rural Workforce Network (SDRWN) pipeline receive updates and best practices on workforce issues. One of those resources is a workforce video highlighting a specific area. In July, members were able to learn more about the “Stay Interview”.

In health care, we’re all familiar with exit interviews—but by the time you’re having one, it’s already too late. What if we flipped the script?

Enter the stay interview—a simple, proactive conversation that can help keep your best team members from walking out the door. It’s not a performance review; it’s a check-in that says, “You matter, and we want you to stay.”

Start the Conversation

You don’t need a formal script. Just ask a few simple questions:

• What do you enjoy most about your work?
• What’s one thing you’d change if you could?
• What keeps you here?
• What might make you consider leaving?

These chats often uncover issues like burnout, lack of growth, or feeling undervalued before they become problems. The key is to act on what you hear. Even small changes, like adjusting schedules or offering new training, can make a huge difference.

When people feel heard and valued, they stay. When they stay, your patients and community thrive. You don’t need more time or money—you just need to start the conversation.

Stay interviews: Ask. Listen. Retain.

Visit SDAHO’s YouTube Channel for more video resources.

Resources & Citations:

• SHRM: How to Conduct Stay Interviews – shrm.org
• HBR: Stay Interviews Can Help You Retain Employees – hbr.org
• Gallup: What Employees Want – Retention Insights – gallup.com/workplace
• AHA: Rural Health Workforce Strategies – aha.org

To learn more, visit SDAHO’s South Dakota Health Care Workforce Resource Center, sdworkforce.com or contact Lindsay.Stroman@sdaho.org.

HRSA Grant Disclaimer: This Project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $1,150,097 with 0% percentage financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.