A coworker continues to arrive late to the scheduled meeting each week. What should be done?

Question Analysis

This question is designed to evaluate your problem-solving skills and your ability to handle interpersonal conflicts in the workplace. It focuses on your approach to addressing issues with coworkers, your communication skills, and your ability to uphold professionalism and team efficiency. The interviewer wants to see how you would handle a recurring issue that could affect team dynamics and productivity.

Answer

Using the STAR method, here is how you can address this situation:

• Situation: In our weekly team meetings, I noticed that one of my coworkers consistently arrived late, which disrupted the flow of the meeting and sometimes required us to repeat information.

• Task: As a member of the team committed to effective collaboration and productivity, I felt it was important to address this issue to ensure our meetings ran smoothly and everyone was on the same page.

• Action: I decided to have a private conversation with the coworker. I approached them in a friendly and non-confrontational manner, expressing my concern about the impact of their lateness on the team. I asked if there was any particular reason for their tardiness and if there was anything that could be adjusted to help them arrive on time. Additionally, I suggested setting a reminder or adjusting the meeting time if it was more convenient for everyone.

• Result: The coworker appreciated the private and understanding approach and explained that another meeting often ran over time, causing the delay. We discussed rescheduling our meeting slightly later, which was agreed upon by the team. This adjustment led to improved punctuality, and our meetings became more efficient, with all team members present from the start.