CHRO Interview Questions
Whether you are preparing to interview a candidate or applying for a job, review our list of top CHRO interview questions and answers.
- What are some essential qualities of a CHRO? See answer
- What would be your first priority if you are hired as a CHRO? See answer
- How can you help to improve our employee retention rate? See answer
- What factors do you consider while making hiring decisions? See answer
- How do you keep yourself updated with the changing employment laws? See answer
- Tell us about some ways to increase employee satisfaction. See answer
- How would you deal with an employee who is not meeting company standards? See answer
- How would you resolve a conflict between an employee and their immediate supervisor? See answer
- Do you have any experience with employee training programs? See answer
- Have you ever enforced an unpopular company policy? How did you persuade your employees to follow it? See answer
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What are some essential qualities of a CHRO?
The goal of this question is to determine if the candidate possesses the qualities required for the role of CHRO. The candidate should be able to convey how they demonstrated these qualities in their previous roles.
What to look for in an answer:
- Understanding of the CHRO role
- Relevant work experience
- Confidence and clarity
Example:
A chief human resource officer should be an excellent communicator with strong leadership skills. He should also be able to collaborate with others and understand different perspectives. Having performed my role in diverse workplaces, I believe that these qualities are essential for a successful CHRO.
What would be your first priority if you are hired as a CHRO?
As an employer, it helps you to know about the candidate’s approach when hired as a CHRO. This question will provide insight into the candidate’s working process and priority as they begin working in their new role.
What to look for in an answer:
- Alignment with the company’s goals
- A clear plan of action
- Adaptability and flexibility
Example:
Upon being hired, I will create an employee handbook that clearly outlines the HR policies, procedures, and benefits. This guide will educate the employees regarding their rights and responsibilities while reducing potential workplace issues. The presence of a clear policy can also protect the company from legal action.
How can you help to improve our employee retention rate?
A CHRO should be able to provide actionable strategies to improve the employee retention rate of a company, as hiring and onboarding new employees is a resource-intensive process. This question can help you to assess whether the candidate can provide solutions for your company.
What to look for in an answer:
- Prioritises employee retention
- Problem-solving skills
- Actionable insights
Example:
I would begin by conducting exit interviews with employees who are leaving and will try to understand why are they quitting. I would also conduct quarterly employee satisfaction surveys to streamline our workplace policies and keep our best talent satisfied. These incremental steps can help us to increase our employee retention rate.
What factors do you consider while making hiring decisions?
As CHRO, the candidate may become a part of the recruitment team or get involved in the hiring process. Learning about the candidate’s hiring process is essential so that you can trust them to make the right hires for your company.
What to look for in an answer:
- Understanding of company values
- Sound judgement of personal traits and professional ability
- Streamlined recruitment process
Example:
I carefully consider a candidate’s personal and professional values while recruiting. Though work experience and skills are important, I would only hire candidates compatible with the company’s culture and whose ambitions align with the company’s goals.
How do you keep yourself updated with the changing employment laws?
This question helps you to learn whether the candidate is proactive in keeping themselves updated about changing employment laws. It is vital to hire an aware CHRO who is well-equipped to ensure that the employees enjoy their rights.
What to look for in an answer:
- Awareness of employment laws
- Proactive and professional approach
- Concern for employee rights
Example:
I keep myself updated about the latest employment laws by checking up on legislature every month, tracking other corporations’ trends, and implementing their more successful practices. As CHRO, I do my best to accommodate employees based on their essential rights and maintain workplace ethics.
Tell us about some ways to increase employee satisfaction.
As an employer, you should hire a CHRO who can help to improve workplace morale and increase employee satisfaction. This question enables you to hire a skilled HR professional to satisfy your employees.
What to look for in an answer:
- Strong interpersonal skills
- Empathy and active listening
- Understanding of workplace dynamics
Example:
We can implement some invaluable strategies to increase employee satisfaction. Offering a competitive base pay alongside lucrative benefits like a sign-on bonus can help to satisfy our employees. It is essential to provide a flexible work environment with the option to work remotely so that employees can enjoy a better work-life balance. Also, we can conduct frequent open discussions where we can gather employee’s feedback.
How would you deal with an employee who is not meeting company standards?
This question assesses whether the candidate can enforce discipline and apply corrective measures while maintaining a positive relationship with the underperforming employee.
What to look for in an answer:
- Honest and direct communication
- Constructive criticism
- Solution-oriented approach
Example:
I had to deal with an analyst with a few client complaints in my previous role. The analyst did not timely respond to their emails and missed the deadline for their deliverables. So, I warned them about the complaints. Then I asked their supervisor to set up a game plan to help the underperforming analyst stay focused and productive. I also scheduled an hour in the morning when they would exclusively follow up on emails while setting up calendar reminders for the deliverables.
How would you resolve a conflict between an employee and their immediate supervisor?
A CHRO should be skilled in conflict resolution. This question will enable you to hire a candidate who can actively listen to the conflicting parties and resolve the problem effectively.
What to look for in an answer:
- Previous experience in conflict resolution
- Empathy, diplomacy, and decisiveness
- Mediation style resonates with company culture
Example:
In my previous role, an associate approached me with concerns about their supervisor’s micromanagement, explaining that the supervisor tried to control every hour of the associate’s workday despite the associate delivering quality work. I contacted the supervisor after formalising the complaint. Then I realised that there was a lack of communication between the two which led to this conflict. So, I mediated a meeting between the two parties where the associate expressed their concerns, and the supervisor could explain their leadership style. This way, we were able to arrive at a peaceful solution.
Do you have any experience with employee training programs?
This question will help you to learn more about the candidate’s experience of developing and implementing employee training programs so that you can hire according to your company’s needs.
What to look for in an answer:
- Ability to track employee performance using the right metrics
- Consistent training methodology
- Strong interpersonal skills
Example:
In my previous role as CHRO, I helped in creating a company-wide learning management system that could be integrated into our company’s intranet so that employees could access it from anywhere. This way, employees could access this training material without spending money to upskill themselves.
Have you ever enforced an unpopular company policy? How did you persuade your employees to follow it?
An employer should hire leaders who can enforce necessary but unpopular company policies. This question helps you to assess the candidate’s commitment to leadership and ability to uphold the company’s best interests.
What to look for in an answer:
- Critical thinking and decision making
- Alignment with company goals and policies
- Effective communication
Example:
While working as an HR manager for a supply chain company, I addressed an increase in workplace injuries by developing a company policy to prohibit listening to music in the warehouse so that employees could be alert and aware of incoming machinery and work with utmost focus. Initially, the employees did not welcome this policy, believing that listening to music on headphones did not affect their ability. However, I conducted an assembly meeting citing workplace injury statistics alongside snippets from studies regarding distractions of music. This way, I conveyed to the employees that the action was taken to ensure their safety. It took some time, but eventually, the employees adjusted, and the workplace became safer as a result.
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