When have you had to adapt to change in the workplace?
With over 212,000 employees providing care to 12.7 million members, change is inevitable for the team at Kaiser Permanente. On top of that, technology, policy, and healthcare practice will continue to evolve into the future at a rapid rate and being flexible and adaptable in your work is a key trait that your interviewer will be looking for in any candidate that they hire. To get at your ability to be pliable in your work, your interviewer would like to know about a time you were required to adapt to change in the workplace. Ensure that the example that you use displays your ability to live Kaiser's vision of embracing what truly matters, the patients and communities they serve, even in the face of change.
"As I've worked in both small clinics and large academic hospitals throughout my career, the one constant in any setting has been change. A person has to embrace it by understanding why change is happening and be a champion of it moving forward, something I look forward to doing as part of the Kaiser Permanente team. Just a few years ago, my institution made a paradigm shift to outpatient care and hospital care at home. While the data was there to support this shift from the patient's point of view, many of my colleagues just didn't understand the need. Knowing that our inpatient units would now be filled with patients who truly needed inpatient care and patients in need wouldn't be diverted, I saw this as a great opportunity for us to truly change lives and I have these conversations with my colleagues. This care model also opened up great new opportunities for staffing in ambulatory settings and is exciting. I know that the members and patients of Kaiser will always expect this institution to be flexible in meeting their needs, and I'd be proud to bring that attitude to work here every day."
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
When the Covid Pandemic started, there was a rapid learning curve on what and how to use PPE effectively. I was nervous that I was not using the proper equipment during high-exposure risk procedures. We had in services to help us prepare. I would make sure to alert my team of a covid patient and what protection to use, ie respirators vs N-95 masks.
Amanda's Feedback
The COVID-19 pandemic presented many opportunities to adapt as the situation evolved. You can enhance this response further by also sharing what you did to build team morale and try to maintain a healthy work/life balance in the face of increased workloads and long hours. Finally, end your response by talking about the positive outcome. Did your team learn how to effectively use PPE and successfully protect themselves and their patients?
Anonymous Answer
COVID is a prime example of a time I had to adapt to change at work. We had to learn a lot of new protocols and though I was concerned whether everyone’s health and safety would be an issue, after going through the training I felt reassured that we would have all the correct safety measures in place. It really helped the whole office work together on adhering to those protocols to keep everyone healthy.
Jaymie's Feedback
Great! Interviewers want to know that you can adapt and embrace change when needed within the organization. It sounds like you had a positive attitude and were willing to be flexible, which are two qualities that the interviewer should find valuable in a candidate.
Anonymous Answer
In my previous role as a therapist in the wraparound team, I had to adjust to the high staff turnover which led the agency to be short-staffed until the position was filled again. With that, I had to take on different roles such as the behavior specialist and facilitator in order to serve the needs of the client. It was very stressful, but it gave me the experience of case management and behavior intervention skills.
Jaymie's Feedback
Staffing shortages cause a lot of stress in the workplace, so this is a good example to share that shows you can adapt and overcome. Your response shows that you were a team player and were willing to do what was needed to serve your clients. Good job rounding out your answer with skills you also developed through the experience.
Anonymous Answer
Working in the restaurant business during the pandemic was a crazy time. I know we were one of the industries that got hit very hard economically. One change was the amount of people I had on my team. When the lockdown hit, only a select few were allowed to stay on to keep the restaurant going. The chefs for obvious reasons, but the servers that were chosen to stay became delivery drivers. So going from a waiter to a delivery driver was definitely a huge change. I was doing a completely different job, but it was easy to learn. And then when lockdowns got lifted and the restaurant opened back up, we were severely short-staffed. Those who weren't chosen to stay during the lockdown were given the offer to return, but most had already moved on. And so one of the things I had to adapt to was learning how to work well with fewer people. I had to learn additional tasks on top of the duties I had as a waiter. This included learning how to cook, so I could help in the back if necessary, as well as being my own busboy, and learning to bartend. So I would say in that one year alone I had to go from a waiter to a delivery driver then back to being a waiter, but with the responsibilities of several other positions at my place of work. It was stressful, but at the same time, I'm glad I endured because I learned a lot from that experience.
Jaymie's Feedback
The pandemic impacted so many in the workplace! Employees in the restaurant industry faced many challenges, as you've described well in your response. Your example demonstrates your ability to be agile, flexible, open-minded, determined, and a team player. Great job!
Anonymous Answer
I work in a kitchen and there was one shift where I came into work where it was only me in the kitchen because my manager was on vacation and the shift leader had called off that day so I had to figure out how to do all the things that my manager usually takes care of by myself. I have never taken on the role of delegation, although I had to on this day since we were short-staffed. I received some help from the employees working in the front of the store and so I delegated them to roles in the kitchen that would help the most for us to get all the work done for the day. I had to make sure specific paperwork was filled out, orders were made correctly, all food was put away properly, and all workstations were cleaned. I believe I communicated with everyone well and was capable of doing all necessary tasks without any problems.
Jaymie's Feedback
This is an excellent example to share with the interviewer. It showcases your ability to remain calm under pressure, take initiative even when you don't have all the necessary information or instructions, delegate tasks, communicate effectively, and work with the team to achieve common goals. Great job!
Unlock all 37 Kaiser Permanente questions
Prepare for behavioral and clinical questions unique to integrated healthcare interviews.
Get Started