Review the evidence signals before interviewing. Then use the anchored descriptions—not instinct alone—to choose the score that best matches each answer.
01
Evaluation factor
Execution and reliability
35% weight
Check how they run live casework: disciplinaries, grievances, sickness absence reviews, settlement agreements, and turnaround times on client advice lines or ticketed HR helpdesks.
Evidence to listen for
Describes a workload they owned and how they kept it from slipping
Names the tools and systems they ran day to day
Can talk about volume: tickets, inboxes, orders, uptime
Nothing quietly falls through when they are busy
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Cannot describe their own workload; things slip without them noticing.
2
Needs Improvement
Handles routine volume; drops work under pressure.
3
Satisfactory
Reliable on steady-state work; struggles when volume spikes.
4
Very Good
Consistently reliable at real volume with a system for staying on top.
5
Excellent
Names caseloads carried, cites ACAS Code compliant processes run end to end, and gives response times met under contracted SLAs.
02
Evaluation factor
Improving the process
25% weight
Probe redesign work: rewriting handbooks and contracts of employment, building onboarding workflows, or migrating clients onto BreatheHR, Bamboo, or similar HRIS platforms.
Evidence to listen for
Has changed a process rather than only following one
Can name what was slow or error-prone and what they did about it
Documents so the improvement survives them
Knows when a process is worth automating and when it is not
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Follows instructions only; no sense that process can change.
2
Needs Improvement
Notices problems but escalates rather than solving.
3
Satisfactory
Makes small improvements; impact is local and undocumented.
4
Very Good
Has redesigned a real process with measurable effect.
5
Excellent
Describes a policy suite or system rollout they led, with adoption rates, admin hours saved, or reduced tribunal exposure.
03
Evaluation factor
Judgement and autonomy
25% weight
Test judgement on risk calls: when to advise dismissal versus settlement, TUPE consultation duties, discrimination flags, and when to escalate to employment counsel.
Evidence to listen for
Knows what to decide alone and what to escalate
Handles an exception without freezing or improvising recklessly
Protects confidentiality and access appropriately
Asks a clarifying question rather than guessing on something costly
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Either escalates everything or acts recklessly on their own.
2
Needs Improvement
Needs frequent direction; uneasy with exceptions.
3
Satisfactory
Sound judgement on familiar decisions.
4
Very Good
Clear sense of their own authority; handles exceptions well.
5
Excellent
Reasons through statutory risk, weighs commercial cost against tribunal exposure, and states clearly where their own advice boundary ends.
04
Evaluation factor
Communication
15% weight
Assess how they deliver difficult messages to owner-managers and line managers, chair grievance hearings, and write investigation reports that hold up under scrutiny.
Evidence to listen for
Writes clearly enough that people act without a follow-up
Manages expectations before a deadline slips, not after
Handles a frustrated colleague or customer calmly
Works across time zones or async where the role needs it
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Unclear written communication; goes quiet when things slip.
2
Needs Improvement
Communication needs chasing; raises problems late.
3
Satisfactory
Clear enough day to day; proactive updates are inconsistent.
4
Very Good
Clear, proactive, and calm under pressure.
5
Excellent
Gives plain-English advice to non-HR directors, stays neutral chairing hearings, and produces evidence-based written outcomes clients act on.
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