HR Director Interview Questions

"To create a positive work environment, I always encourage an open-door policy so employees can bring their concerns or questions to me. This helps us build a strong professional relationship and ensures that employees feel heard. I also offer positive feedback as often as I can. It can be as simple as telling someone they did a good job on a project or thanking them for their work."

"When hiring new employees, the first thing I will look at is applicants' resumes. I check for the correct qualifications and experience. If they have both, I will call them to set up an interview. During the interview, I will ask them technical, situational, and behavioural questions. This allows me to get to know them better and see how they would react in certain situations. If they have the right skills, experience, knowledge, and personality for the position, I'll hire them."

"Promoting diversity at work starts during hiring. I always look for the most experienced and skilled candidates, regardless of their race, religion, gender, etc. I also like to offer diversity training with a professional to all employees, especially management. This ensures everyone knows how to create a diverse work environment as it takes the entyre team. Creating and implementing diversity-friendly policies is also important, not only to uphold equity laws but to ensure everyone feels comfortable at work as well."

"I think business goals and HR strategies go hand in hand. New policies won't work if I create them without the company's business goals in mind. I always consider things like the company's mission, values, products, services, projected growth, and goals when implementing new strategies to ensure they're successful and relevant."

"Some of the top HR risks companies can face include poor corporate culture, lack of employee development, pay and performance not aligning, failure to comply to industry regulations, and high turnover rates. To combat these risks, I aim to create an inviting, diverse workplace. If people are happy in their environment and feel heard and appreciated, a lot of these problems will be minimal. I also focus on creating a safe, compliant workplace to ensure we are following all relevant regulations."

"In my previous company, I implemented an open-door policy as the previous HR director didn't have one. Within my first few months, I noticed a lot more employees coming in and talking to me about their concerns. I'm proud that I could create an environment they felt safe in."

"I would describe my management style as a mix between autocratic and democratic. I know they are opposite styles, but I think HR directors should have the authority to keep their employees safe and happy, but they should also be willing to listen and collabourate. Creating an open-door policy and allowing employees to air their concerns or offer their opinions is a great way to do this. But, at the end of the day, I have to make decisions that I think are best for the team."

"Canada does allow overtime, but the regulations vary depending on the industry. Generally, anything over eight hours a day and 40 hours a week is considered overtime. Any time the employees work over that limit, the employer must pay them a minimum of one and one-half the amount of their regular pay. The maximum amount of time an employee can work is typically 48 hours a week."

"If I noticed your company had a high turnover rate, I would start by interviewing employees and asking them what they were happy with and what they thought we could change. I would create a document with all of their answers and focus on making the changes a lot of people mentioned."

"Company culture encompasses a company's goals, values, attitudes, and characteristics. It's typically displayed in how employees interact with each other, the company's policies, and the work environment. Positive company culture is important as employees will be happier and more productive."

"In my previous roles, I used Oracle PeopleSoft and Workday. These programmes helped me with a lot of administrative tasks, such as time tracking, managing payroll, and analyzing benefit packages. I would be happy to learn how to use any other software you prefer as well. "

"When two employees have a conflict, I sit each one down separately and discuss the issue. After hearing both sides, I bring them together to talk about the conflict and act as a mediator by guiding the conversation when necessary. This usually allows them to come up with a solution, but I can also offer one when necessary."

"When terminating employees, I always call them into my office for a private meeting. I explain why they are being terminated and give them the opportunity to ask any questions. I then collect their keycard or ID and any other work-related devices so they don't leave with them by accident. Once they leave, I will fill out the necessary paperwork."

"I wanted to streamline the onboarding process at my previous company, so I learned how to use Namely software. It keeps all the new employees' information in one place and allows me to keep track of all their documents. This kept me organised and saved me plenty of time as there was no more searching for the right documents or information."

"I do think performance reviews are important as they give employees a good idea of how they're doing well and what improvements they can make. It gives us an opportunity to discuss long-term goals and give pay raises when deserved as well. Regular performance reviews also ensure employees aren't surprised by their feedback."