What would you do if you saw a colleague breaking company policy? What if they were stealing something as little as $5?
While this may seem like a question with an obvious answer, your interviewer wants to hear how aligned your values are with theirs and whether your brand of honesty and integrity is compatible with theirs. "We set ourselves high standards and are each accountable for our actions. We always use good judgment. And if something doesn't feel right, as colleagues we speak up and act."
"If I saw a colleague being unethical and breaking company policy, I would confront them right away in a professional manner. Using my best judgment, I would escalate it to a manager if necessary, especially in the case of theft. Last year, a coworker was excluding the necessary steps of our nightly cash-counting procedures. While she may have been doing things accurately in the end and just trying to save time, I talked to her about the importance of taking all necessary steps regarding accuracy. She thanked me for my input and always used our steps from that point forward."
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
I would confront them professionally about respecting and following company policy and in a stealing situation, I would escalate that matter to my supervisors as it has become a legal matter that affects the company. At ____, I have seen colleagues shelving improperly to save time, and I confronted them professionally and told them the importance of upholding organized filling standards. If working at HSBC, I would do whatever I can to uphold company standards and maintain HSBC's strong reputation.
Chad's Feedback
Your approach to the hypothetical situation is a good one, and it conveys a commitment to honesty "“ an extremely important quality in the banking industry. The example you provide will assure the interviewer of your character and high moral standards. Nice work!
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