What type of employees do you find most challenging?
"I feel as though I can adapt to most employees, but the personality type that challenges me the most in my work is the type that is constantly seeking and promoting unnecessary drama around the workplace. As an HR professional that relies on hard facts, data, and an even-keeled attitude, drama in the workplace can make life unnecessarily difficult for me. To effectively work with the dramatic personalities around the workplace, I take a calm approach and be forthright about my expectations and communication with them. While it can be hard at the dramatic things, I don't roll my eyes or push people off."
An HR Consultant will encounter every possible personality type in their career. By posing this question, your interviewer would like to know more about the kinds of employees that you find difficult to manage, and more importantly, how you handle them. As an HR professional, you will be required to collaborate successfully with various personality types. Discuss with the interviewer the types of personalities that you find most challenging to manage. As you answer, be sure to keep your answer in a positive light and clearly describe how you effectively work with this type of personality. This will prove to your interviewer that you can overcome and work effectively with anyone at their organization.
"Every employee brings their challenges and strengths to teams. It is difficult for me to influence associates who are disinterested or resistant to engagement with the team. Over time, these people often have realized that my organization is not a great fit because being engaged in work is a core value that all staff holds near and dear to their hearts. Luckily I do not encounter this often. The people who I have led are motivated and hardworking, each in their unique way."
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 find negative employees to be challenging. I try to find the root cause of their negativity and do everything I can to change it, but sometimes I have to be overly positive if it's just their mood.
Rachelle's Feedback
Smile through the pain, and we all have to do it sometimes. It may be a nice addition to tell a quick story about when you coached a negative employee, and they made a great turnaround.
Anonymous Answer
This is a great question. The two most challenging types have been the conspiracy theorist and the other more mature individual where English is their second or third language, and they refuse a translator. For both types, active listening was key, along with patience and empathy. I adapted a very calm and soothing voice, closer body language, direct eye contact, and if it were highly emotional, I would ask what they needed at the time to feel heard.
Rachelle's Feedback
These are challenging types, indeed, and it seems you handle these situations with the utmost professionalism. Perfect answer!
Anonymous Answer
Employees who are extremely rude to other staff or the HR/payroll team are usually the most challenging. Unfortunately, I have over 10 years of experience with rude customers and employees alike. In my HR roles, I try to empathize and see a reasonable reason why they might be lashing out in this way. I explain the process that is causing them aggravation and hear their side of what is going on. In my HR role, if this is not an isolated incident, I would let their manager know as their behavior could be impacting other employees on their team and might be occurring without their knowledge.
Rachelle's Feedback
You're off to a good start! I feel that a sentence such as 'Unfortunately, I have over 10 years experience with rude customers and employees alike' can quickly de-rail your interview into a negative vibe, so I recommend removing that remark. I have offered a slight reword for you below.
"I find employees who are extremely rude to other staff or to the HR/payroll team to be the most challenging. In these instances, I first work to empathize and discover why the employee might be lashing out. I take the time to hear their side and then work with the employee to correct the behavior. If it is not an isolated incident, I let their manager know since their behavior could be impacting their teammates."
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