What do I do when an employee quits?
Short answer
Thank them, ask what would have made them stay, and decide in 24 hours whether to counteroffer. Most counteroffers fail.
Don't take it personally
Calm exit interview. 'What's pulling you there?' 'What could we have done differently?' Real answers come when there's no upside to lying.
On counteroffers
Eight out of ten counteroffered employees leave within a year anyway. If you have to offer more to keep them, you were underpaying. If they're leaving for non-money reasons, money won't fix it.
Ask your version of this question
This is one business owner-tested take. Your shop size, trade, and team change the answer. Ask the exact version inside Ask a Shop Owner and get a response grounded in how owners like you actually handled it.