The health and safety of our employees is top priority at Caterpillar. How would you react if your supervisor asked you to perform a task you were not comfortable with?

What You Need to Know
1st Answer Example
2nd Answer Example

This situational question will give the interviewer some idea of your attitude and big-picture vision. It is somewhat rhetorical asking whether you value safety. If this was the aim of the question, it wouldn't hold much substance. Therefore, as with any interview question, the true nature of it is in how it is phrased. This question seeks your approach to respecting the chain of command while ensuring safety standards are upheld.

Your answer should go deeper than how you would handle being asked to do something that makes you uncomfortable. The heart of this question is how you would approach supporting the efforts of the company, your teams, and the big-picture of adhering to the safety standards set into place by your employer. Willfully turning a blind eye to policy violations could set a standard on your team and enable ill-advised and unprofessional conduct, which could result in severe injuries and legal liabilities for your employer. Safety is important to Caterpillar, Inc., so acknowledge your understanding of the big-picture surrounding the importance of workplace safety and how your integrity guides you to do the right thing.

"If a supervisor asked me to perform a task I was uncomfortable with, I would have a sincere discussion with them about why I was not comfortable. I believe that open communication is a key part of safety. Under no circumstance would I perform a task I did not feel comfortable doing."

"I do not waiver when it comes to safety in the workplace. If I were asked to perform a task I was uncomfortable with, I would discuss it immediately with the person who initiated the request. If things needed to be escalated to upper management, I would not hesitate to do so. Processes and policy are there for a reason, and there are no excuses for cutting corners in the workplace."

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How to Answer: The health and safety of our employees is top priority at Caterpillar. How would you react if your supervisor asked you to perform a task you were not comfortable with?

Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Caterpillar job interview.

23. The health and safety of our employees is top priority at Caterpillar. How would you react if your supervisor asked you to perform a task you were not comfortable with?

What You Need to Know

This situational question will give the interviewer some idea of your attitude and big-picture vision. It is somewhat rhetorical asking whether you value safety. If this was the aim of the question, it wouldn't hold much substance. Therefore, as with any interview question, the true nature of it is in how it is phrased. This question seeks your approach to respecting the chain of command while ensuring safety standards are upheld.

Your answer should go deeper than how you would handle being asked to do something that makes you uncomfortable. The heart of this question is how you would approach supporting the efforts of the company, your teams, and the big-picture of adhering to the safety standards set into place by your employer. Willfully turning a blind eye to policy violations could set a standard on your team and enable ill-advised and unprofessional conduct, which could result in severe injuries and legal liabilities for your employer. Safety is important to Caterpillar, Inc., so acknowledge your understanding of the big-picture surrounding the importance of workplace safety and how your integrity guides you to do the right thing.

Written by Kevin Downey on August 8th, 2022

1st Answer Example

"If a supervisor asked me to perform a task I was uncomfortable with, I would have a sincere discussion with them about why I was not comfortable. I believe that open communication is a key part of safety. Under no circumstance would I perform a task I did not feel comfortable doing."

Written by Kevin Downey on August 8th, 2022

2nd Answer Example

"I do not waiver when it comes to safety in the workplace. If I were asked to perform a task I was uncomfortable with, I would discuss it immediately with the person who initiated the request. If things needed to be escalated to upper management, I would not hesitate to do so. Processes and policy are there for a reason, and there are no excuses for cutting corners in the workplace."

Written by Kevin Downey on August 8th, 2022

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