How many days were you unexpectedly absent from work last year?
"My parents raised me with an old-fashioned mindset where you go to work unless it's an absolute emergency. The last sick day I took was a while back, at the height of the pandemic, when I got sick. I pulled through but wasn't going to compromise the rest of our crews, and we were all front-line workers, after all. Beyond that, I've had zero unexcused absences. In total, I took eight vacation days out of my ten days' holiday time. I always arrive 10 minutes early for my shift. My references will attest to my reliability."
After the agreement between BNSF and BLET was reached, union workers are guaranteed up to eight paid sick leave days, access to scheduled time off, opportunities to earn days off, and a more predictable schedule. So, your interviewer needs to assess whether you would take your sick days only when needed, as opposed to feeling overwhelmed by the stressors of work, suffering from a poor work-life balance, and frequently calling off sick, even when you're not. They're curious what your attendance track record will say about you, and to what extent you prioritize the needs of your leadership and your teams. How you answer may ultimately inform them of whether you're a good fit for the lifestyle that comes with the job, and how reliable an employee you'll be.
BNSF relies upon their teams to help them adhere to the tightly coordinated schedules of all of their unit trains, to ensure they uphold their commitments to their customers, and "doing what it takes to meet their expectations." Therefore, they need any employee who is at risk of being late, or unable to make it to work, to make every effort to support their leadership teams and provide by providing as much advance notice as possible. When one of their key employees doesn't make it to work on time, or at all, sometimes only offering short notice, they are reliant on those employees who are on call 24-7, having to be ready to come into work sometimes within only a couple of hours' notice. This creates a high-pressured, stressful work situation which could potentially negatively impact morale, and result in more staffing issues.
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
" My parents raised me with an old-fashioned mindset where you go to work unless it's an absolute emergency. I have never had an unexpected absence from work since I usually let my boss know a week in advance with the shortest notification time being 24 hours or more.
The last sick day I took was about three years ago. I expect dedication from my teammates so I don't have to cover their shifts for fickle reasons. I deliver the same level of respect and reliability at the same time."
Marcie's Feedback
It's great that you have a strong work ethic and can be counted on to show up to work every day. You might also briefly mention that you recognize the value of a work-life balance, however, and do take prescheduled time off occasionally to recharge your batteries. Otherwise, excellent answer!
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