COVID-19 Questions to Ponder Early in the hiring process or during an interview

During an interview, the questions you ask could reveal information about how the firm treats its employees and the company culture it promotes in general. While the rules are progressively evolving, it’s still considered “nice” job search etiquette to avoid queries about what’s in it for you during the early phases of the interview process, and instead, focus your questions on how you can benefit the employer and contribute to the company’s culture. Of course, even in the early phases, it’s reasonable to ask some questions to ensure that a company and a job match your goals and needs for a new work—for example, discovering out if a position is totally remote or if you’ll be required to commute into the office in the future.

Here are some questions to ask at this stage, as well as what to look for in your interviewer’s responses:

1. During the pandemic, how have you created a positive community and high morale inside your organization?

It’s easy to lose sight of the importance of cultivating a sense of community in the workplace during a disaster or crisis. If in-person meetings were not possible, community-building activities such as Christmas parties, employee lunches, birthdays, retirement celebrations, farewell parties, and other events may have had to be rescheduled. Such activities, on the other hand, are an important part of employee engagement. A company that loves its employees takes the time and effort to think creatively about how to create and maintain a great work environment, even when people work remotely.

2. Is there still a place for remote and/or flexible work? Is this a long-term solution?

For most job interviews, this was long regarded as an almost inconceivable question. With so many companies now offering remote or hybrid work models, it’s important asking early in the job search process—perhaps before you’re called back for a second or third round interview. If you’re looking for remote work, it’s preferable to know whether this is an option before you waste your time and the company’s time with repeated interviews. And if the corporation demands that all employees return to work full-time.

3. How did you handle the COVID transition at the start? 

Was your entire workforce forced to work from home during the pandemic? If that wasn’t the case, how did you decide who had to come into the office and when?

This question reveals whether the organization prioritizes employee safety and whether management has faith in their staff as they adjust to working from home during a global epidemic. You can find out whether decisions about remote work were made based on more objective variables, such as the specific nature of each person’s job obligations, or if they were made based on more subjective factors, such as individual employees’ personal opinions. You might also learn about how the organization views work-life balance.

4. How is your company adjusting to COVID-19’s economic changes?

This response might disclose a lot about job security and how the organization is adapting to stay afloat. COVID-19 had a significant impact on a number of businesses, including retail (both online and offline), the performing arts, restaurants, grocery delivery services, government institutions, and healthcare. If the company’s leadership hasn’t considered how to adapt, it could be a red flag for the company’s future.

5. How did you ensure that employees had all of the information they needed throughout the pandemic regarding safety, work expectations, and other process or policy changes?

During an emergency, a business that goes above and beyond to ensure that its employees are well-informed on policies and procedures is likely to be well-organized and communicative in “normal” times as well. If the interviewer mentions that employees were solicited for their thoughts on adjustments, it’s possible that firm leadership will pay attention to employee input in the future.

References

Chandratre, S. and Soman, A. (2020). Preparing for the interviewing process during Coronavirus disease-19 pandemic: Virtual interviewing experiences of applicants and interviewers, a systematic review. PLOS ONE, [online] 15(12), p.e0243415. Available at: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0243415  [Accessed 21 Sep. 2021].

Krasna, H. (2021). Questions to Ask About COVID-19 in Your Next Interview—During the Pandemic and Beyond. [online] The Muse. Available at: https://www.themuse.com/advice/questions-to-ask-about-covid-19-during-interview  [Accessed 21 Sep. 2021].

Lupton, D. and Lewis, S. (2021). Learning about COVID-19: a qualitative interview study of Australians’ use of information sources. BMC Public Health, [online] 21(1). Available at: https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-021-10743-7  [Accessed 21 Sep. 2021].

Pexels.com. (2019). 9,000+ Best Covid 19 Photos · 100% Free Download · Pexels Stock Photos. [online] Available at: https://www.pexels.com/search/covid%2019/  [Accessed 21 Sep. 2021].