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Forbes
04-05-2025
- Health
- Forbes
15 Must-Ask Questions To Help You Ace Your Next Job Interview
When the hiring manager asks, "So, do you have any questions for me?" at the end of your job interview, many interviewees are tempted to smile and respond, 'No, I think you answered all my questions.' That's the wrong way to end an interview. This critical moment is an opportunity to show employers you're prepared, interested, and a critical thinker. It is also important because job interviews are a two-way street. Just as the hiring manager is evaluating you, it's necessary for you to assess whether the team dynamics and company culture are the right fit. While many job candidates underestimate the power of asking intelligent questions in a job interview, it can make or break your chances. These 15 insightful questions will help you stand out in your next job interview so you have the best chance of securing a job offer. This question demonstrates your understanding that every position exists within a broader internal network. You're showing the interviewer that you're thinking about how you'll fit into the team structure and contribute to the company's success. What the answer reveals: The answer reveals the position's priorities beyond the job description and helps you understand how your work performance will be evaluated. It also provides insight into the organization's management style and team dynamics. Many job candidates consider a strong workplace culture more important than salary. This question helps you assess the company culture based on a response from someone who experiences it daily. What the answer reveals: By asking for just three words, you're forcing the interviewer to describe the company culture in simple terms. Their choice of words will tell you a lot about the organization and whether their values align with your own. The results of APA's Work and Well-being Survey reveal that 81% of respondents look for organizations that support mental health when they seek future job opportunities. Also, according to the American Institute of Stress, workplace stress costs U.S. employers an estimated $300 billion. So, this is an issue that impacts employees and employers. This question shows you're realistic about work demands while demonstrating your interest in work-life balance and employee support. What the answer reveals: The response will tell you whether the company has formal systems to support workload spikes, how they prioritize employee well-being (if at all) and whether they're proactive or reactive in addressing workplace stress. This question positions you in the job interview as a problem-solver who thinks about adding value. It shows that you understand that you're being hired to find solutions rather than just complete daily tasks. What the answer reveals: The answer provides insight into the hiring manager's immediate priorities and helps you assess whether your skills align with what the company needs. It also reveals potential challenges you might face and gives you a chance to address how your experience prepares you to tackle them. By asking about expectations, you demonstrate your results-oriented mindset and commitment to making an impact. This question helps clarify how the employer envisions success in the role. What the answer reveals: The response will help you understand the learning curve, priorities and how your performance will be measured. This will help you feel confident entering into a role with clear expectations. This question addresses expectations in concrete terms and shows you're looking to excel. It demonstrates your commitment to excellence and your desire for clear success metrics. What the answer reveals: The answer reveals how structured the role might be and gives you insight into the hiring manager's priorities. It also provides valuable information about advancement opportunities and how to position yourself for growth within the company. By asking about the interviewer's personal experience in the job interview, you get insight into the company's investment in its people. This question also shows that you're thinking long-term about your career and value continuous learning. What the answer reveals: The answer will provide insight into whether the company supports internal advancement and development and show how you might progress within the organization. This question signals your desire for advancement while gathering information about career opportunities. It shows you're thinking about your future with the company and want to understand how they develop talent from within. What the answer reveals: The response will reveal whether the organization has formal leadership development programs, mentorship opportunities, or a track record of promoting from within. A survey conducted by The Conference Board found that 58% of workers are likely to leave their company if they don't receive leadership development opportunities, so this is an important aspect to consider in your job interview. This straightforward question demonstrates your commitment to personal and professional development. It shows you're not just looking for a job but investing in a career path. What the answer reveals: The answer reveals whether the company offers formal mentoring, coaching, continued education, or professional training. According to Gallup, 87% of millennials rate "professional or career growth and development opportunities" as critical in a job, making this question very relevant. This question turns the tables in a positive way, allowing the interviewer to share their own story. It builds rapport and shows interest in their experience while providing you with insight into career progression at the company. What the answer reveals: The response can reveal whether the organization promotes from within, values diverse career paths or has a particular advancement path. It also allows you to find common ground with the interviewer, creating a more memorable connection. By asking about what excites the interviewer, you tap into their passion and enthusiasm. This question creates an emotional connection during the job interview and shows you care about the work happening at the company, not just the job requirements. What the answer reveals: The answer provides insight into current initiatives, what generates team excitement and the types of projects you might be involved with. It also gives you a glimpse into the company's culture and priorities. This question invites the interviewer to speak from personal experience, creating an authentic moment in the conversation. It shows you're interested in the experience of working there, not just in the salary and benefits. What the answer reveals: The response can tell you a lot about employee satisfaction and company culture. Research has shown that a positive employee experience is linked to higher profits, customer satisfaction, and innovation, making this insight valuable for your decision-making. This question shows confidence, self-awareness, and a desire for transparent communication. It also gives you a chance to address any concerns while you still have the interviewer's attention. What the answer reveals: The response provides an opportunity to clarify misunderstandings or elaborate on experiences that might not have been fully explored during the job interview. Cultural fit is an important factor for hiring managers, so addressing any areas of concern is crucial. This question demonstrates your interest in understanding the context of the role. It shows you're thinking critically about why and how the position has evolved. What the answer reveals: The answer reveals whether this is a newly created role (suggesting growth or reorganization) or a replacement (prompting questions about why the previous person left). Understanding this history helps you assess stability, expectations and potential challenges. If the position has a high turnover, this might be a red flag worth exploring. This question shows you're thinking about adding value beyond the job description. It demonstrates your understanding that top performers contribute to company culture and initiatives beyond their core responsibilities. What the answer reveals: The response reveals the company's values and priorities while giving you insight into how you can stand out once hired. Employees who use their assets are more likely to be engaged at work, so understanding how to contribute your unique talents is valuable for you and the employer. Remember that a job interview is a dialogue, not an interrogation. While the hiring manager is evaluating you, you're also trying to determine whether the role and organization align with your goals, values, priorities and work style. By preparing intelligent questions that demonstrate your interest, insight, and intelligence, you'll leave a lasting impression that sets you apart from other candidates—even those with similar qualifications and experience. With these 15 smart questions in your interview toolkit, you'll be well-equipped to do exactly that.
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
3 ways companies can prioritize employee mental health
Mental health concerns were front and center for office workers adjusting to fully remote work environments at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Between feelings of isolation, a never-ending news cycle, and the stress of staying safe, people sought support from their workplaces. A Society for Human Resource Management survey noted that employee benefits such as stress management, life coaching, and meditation programs increased in 2020. But, for many, it still wasn't enough. As the pandemic waned, industries that didn't give employees enough independence when it came to their work locations and how they allotted their time (such as dine-in restaurants, sporting events, and music concerts) saw the most employee exits, leading to the Great Resignation, Professor Dr. Isabell Welpe at the Technical University of Munich, told the World Economic Forum. Even today, employers are still working to restructure their approach to mental health support to boost morale and retention. In many cases, workers are recognizing those changes. The American Psychological Association's 2022 Work and Well-being Survey found that 71% of people think their employer is more concerned about their mental health now than in the past. But even with good intentions, employers are still falling short in providing a workplace environment that prioritizes well-being and meets their workers' needs. Mental Health America's 2023 Mind the Workplace survey found that 81% of employees who experienced work stress in 2022 felt it impacted their mental health compared to the 78% who reported the same thing in the year prior. To support building better workplaces, WorkTango analyzed academic research and news coverage to explore ways companies can prioritize employee mental health. For some, the root of workplace stress begins with managers. SHRM's survey of 1,400 employees in 2024 cited poor management as one of the major stressors for employees, along with workload and understaffing. For others, it can mean things such as toxic workplace behavior, ambiguity in their role, and interpersonal conflict, according to McKinsey Health Institute's survey of 30,000 employees in 30 countries. Self-efficacy, purpose, and belonging can help offset these feelings. Since the pandemic, companies have invested in employee wellness programs, a practice that market research company MarketsandMarkets projects to be worth $94.6 billion globally by 2026. However, many of these programs, which incorporate elements like meditation apps and online therapy, take a one-size-fits-all approach that overlooks broader and systemic workplace issues, according to an article published by the Harvard Business Review. Christine Nicholl, founder of HR consulting company People X, told Stacker that in order to cultivate a psychologically safe workplace, offering programs that address mental health can only go so far. "You can have the best benefits in the world, but if somebody's burnt because their manager isn't leading effectively … they're probably going to go find somewhere else to work," she said. Keep reading to learn how companies can help their employees' mental health. In Ashley Kera's eyes, there's still a stigma surrounding mental health. The founder and principal consultant at Kera Coaching & Consulting advises companies to take time to invest in making actionable changes. "Rather than be reactive to employee issues, be proactive," she told Stacker. "How can you cultivate those cultures and provide systems and policies to really support them?" Over the years, workers have spoken up on the policies and programs they want. When given the option to select from a list of 12 types of support they'd like to receive, the APA's 2022 survey found the top four chosen included flexible work hours (41%), a culture where time off is respected (34%), an option for remote work (33%), and a four-day work week (31%). Experts caution companies not to fall into the trap of "carewashing" policies, an approach Harvard Business Review authors describe as "superficial care initiatives that workers may perceive as failing to tackle root causes" of workplace concerns. Instead, McKinsey Health Institute recommends a "holistic health" framework encompassing an employee's "physical, mental, social, and spiritual health." From there, companies can start to make changes for people individually, at the job level, within a team, and organizationally. With flexible work arrangements becoming the norm in recent years, employees may need remote, hybrid, or in-person accommodations based on their role, workflow, and personal responsibilities. The APA advises companies to evaluate staff requirements and business goals before presenting various options for workers so employees can determine which options best suit their circumstances. In her 2024 research for the SHRM, Daroon Jalil found that while 73% of employees said their companies claim to care about mental health, almost half said those workplaces don't take actions that support this sentiment. She notes one way to cultivate a workplace environment that benefits mental health is for leaders to be positive models. For example, a leader telling colleagues they're taking a few days off to unwind after a lengthy work project is modeling good mental health care practices. Companies can create work-life balance through four-day work weeks to help employees manage stress and productivity. Trials of the model in other countries have led to more productivity and a boost in mental and physical health, according to the World Economic Forum. It's also important for company leaders to proactively encourage workers to take advantage of the benefits available to them. Almost 70% of workers are unaware of what their employer offers, according to the SHRM. In Nicholl's experience, this information will sometimes exist on a company's intranet, an internal network where a business disseminates information to its workers, often without further advertisement. "Sometimes you have a really great program that just sits on the shelf because nobody knows it's there," she said. New programs and policies don't become successful overnight. This process requires leaders to learn more viable ways to support workers, effectively train managers, and listen to employee feedback. Kera advises companies to step back, listen, and get to know their employees instead of making assumptions about their needs. That can start with collecting feedback through anonymous surveys, suggestion boxes at town hall meetings, or conducting focus groups. "What's the data telling you? What do they want? What's feasible?" she said. Managerial training is also crucial to creating a more psychologically safe workplace. For example, a previous company Nicholl worked at focused on the role of managers because of their multiplier effect within an organization. The thought process was, "Take care of the manager, and they'll take care of everybody else," she explained. Taking the time to improve a manager's interpersonal skills has proven to reduce turnover by 60%, according to a 2021 analysis published by the National Bureau of Economic Research. And it makes a difference on a day-to-day level. Those who have a supportive manager are not only more comfortable asking for support, but they're also more confident in providing feedback, according to Mental Health America's survey. Restructuring an organization's mental health approach can seem daunting, but establishing goals and metrics, creating a plan to streamline them into existing workflows, and actively following up on its progress can leave a lasting impact on an employee's perception of the company. A 2023 Deloitte survey found that reporting on how well a company is doing when it comes to the health of its employees could build trust between employees and companies. "I'm a big believer [that] if you invest in the people, it's going to benefit your brand, bottom line," Kera said. Story editing by Carren Jao. Additional editing by Elisa Huang. Copy editing and photo selection by Kristen Wegrzyn. This story was produced by WorkTango and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker.
