Nobody has to tell you that hiring is hard. And keeping good people? It feels like that is even harder. Lately, other shops have resorted to poaching our best employees.
If you are in the decorated apparel industry, you’ve felt this punch to the gut all too often. The hiring pool is shallow. Competition for decent staff is fierce. And turnover? It hits hard when your rock star press operator or key customer service rep walks out unexpectedly. Ouch. That’s why you should turn to something powerful right now.
The stay interview
Unlike exit interviews, which are too late, or performance reviews, where the power dynamic is uneven, a stay interview is simply a casual, honest conversation. It’s about checking in before there is a problem. It’s asking, “Why do you continue to work here?” instead of wondering, “Why did they leave?”
Whether you like it or not, your employees have choices. If you are not talking to them about their work experience, someone else might be.
Think about this
What does a good stay interview look like? Think coffee chat, not HR meeting. You want to ask open-ended questions that can’t be answered with a “yes” or “no.” Really, really listen. And most importantly, act on what you hear. In a nutshell, you want to ask them: What do you love about your job? What makes your day harder than it needs to be? How can we better support your goals?
Even small changes, like fixing a broken process or leading the team with empathy, can make a huge impact. You definitely won’t know what they are thinking until you ask them. Don’t assume.
In the print industry, where every person on your team matters, retention is your secret weapon. I visit a lot of shops, and the ones that thrive have staff that are growing old with the business. These veterans are the backbone and secret sauce for these companies. They have been there, done that, and literally have printed the T-shirt. But what if one of them leaves? A 30-minute conversation today can save you weeks of scrambling later.
So, grab a cup of coffee (get one for them, too!), pull up a chair, and ask members of your crew what’s really going on with their work and their lives. You might be surprised what they tell you.
And best of all? When you listen, they stay.
Why interviews matter
Finding good employees in the decorated apparel industry has never been more challenging. You don’t need a magazine telling you that. Shops are running lean, workloads are heavy, and the available labor pool is tight. So when you do have a great employee, your top priority should be keeping them. That is where the stay interview comes in.
A stay interview is a casual, one-to-one conversation designed to understand why your employee stays, what they love, and what might be frustrating them. Until you ask, you don’t know. This isn’t about performance reviews or a checklist. It is about a person-to-person connection.
When to hold them
You will want to meet with each employee at least once a year for their stay interview. Maybe twice a year would be even better if you can swing it. This is a proactive tool, so your goal here is to get ahead of any problems before they fester. You might also want one after a new hire passes the 90-day mark or even after a huge project ends. It’s good to take the temperature and understand what someone is thinking.
How to hold one
The idea behind this is just two people chatting. The tone is casual. Grab some coffee or sodas and sit somewhere informal. You want them to feel comfortable enough to open up. So don’t sit behind your big desk and stare them down. The big boss dynamic is wrong for this. You want your staff member to feel safe and reassure them there are no right or wrong answers. It is all about them, and not about you. Shut up and listen. This is your chance to hear their truth. Let them talk. You can take notes, but the point is to understand your employee, so don’t make it an inquisition.
Below are the best 10 stay interview questions. Don’t feel the need to ask all of these. Rewrite them to how you naturally talk or what you want to discover.
- What do you look forward to when you come to work each day?
- What do you like the most and the least about your job?
- Is there anything about your job you find confusing or frustrating?
- Do you feel recognized for the work you do here?
- What would make your job easier or more enjoyable?
- Do you feel you are growing professionally?
- What keeps you here?
- What might tempt you to leave?
- Do you feel your work is valued and meaningful?
- How can I better support you in your role?
Common mistakes to avoid
Since this is a conversation, it may stray into murky waters that make you uncomfortable. Sometimes, it is good to air out problems, so consider this a good thing.
Whatever is said, don’t get defensive. Take notes and repeat what was said back to them. You don’t want the stay interview to become a gripe session, but you want to stay positive and focus on solutions.
Don’t wait until someone is thinking of quitting to ask these questions. It is good to confront reality and comprehend someone’s point of view. Even if it is hard to hear.
What to do with the info
As you interview your staff, you may find patterns or repeat concerns. This is a signal for you to enact change or improve something. When you enact any change, make it visible. Even small, it shows you were listening, taking employees’ concerns seriously, and trying to improve something. However, someone may chime in on something that is out of bounds, ridiculous, or beyond financial reach. Respond to it and see if an alternative can be made.
Final thoughts
Stay interviews are not a silver bullet. Yet, they are one of the smartest, simplest ways to keep your team strong. If you want loyalty, trust, and less drama in your shop, then make a habit of talking with your people, not just at them.
