One Question to Ask Right Now in Your Interview
Despite the ongoing pandemic, companies are luring workers back to the office, even as COVID-19 cases are on the rise in parts of the country and vaccination efforts have largely stalled . However, the entire transition back to the office after more than a year of telecommuting is a big challenge for anyone in the corporate world and is rife with questions that seem to be lacking in answers.
Companies are tackling this problem in different ways: some offer a hybrid setup, others abandon the idea that an office is a necessity at all, allowing employees to work wherever they want. Therefore, it is important that you know exactly how the potential employer intends to handle this move back to the office, mainly because workers have more influence in this regard than ever before.
The most important question during the interview
This is why right now the most important question to ask a potential employer is, “How do you plan to handle your return to the office?” This is a vital factor in increasing or decreasing your interest in work. A helpful Twitter thread from marketer Emily Coleman explains how a positive interview can plummet if a company’s return-to-office policy doesn’t meet your expectations.
Coleman says the realization that the company didn’t take any real personal precautions during the pandemic, combined with the sterile office environment, ultimately diminished its interest in the job. Moreover, the company’s plan to return to the office has the potential to say a lot about how it values its employees more broadly. If everyone in the workplace is following strict procedures that not only prevent you from having a say in your work schedule, but also expose you to potential health risks, then it might be time to move on to other options.
Other good topical interview questions to ask
When working remotely or hybridly, it’s important to ask how the company can create its culture. If this organic, real interaction cannot happen – especially if people are allowed to live away from the physical office – then it makes sense to ask how camaraderie can be created. This is a question to ask a recruiter or referral to a hiring manager to get their opinion on whether these efforts are working.
You also have every right to ask if the company has a mandate to vaccinate its returning employees. Obviously, if there is something like a “do not ask, do not tell” policy, it could jeopardize the health of everyone in the office. There is no clear cut line in this regard as some companies have different vaccination policies . Make sure you understand your position on this issue (we recommend doing this on the side of mandatory vaccination of workers).
Given that many very modern issues outside the workplace are now permeating our work lives, it is important that you consider these things; you will be glad to include them in your next interview.