Interviews during a COR external audit can be daunting for staff.
When we perform an external audit, it’s typical for us to see workers intimidated or nervous about 1-on-1 interviews. Understandably, many workers are concerned about “saying the wrong thing” and feel an immense responsibility to “get it right”.
What’s important to remember is that a good interview is not necessarily one without nerves or concerns. We know that not everyone is comfortable with the line of questioning that auditors use. The questions that we ask can put people on the spot! As someone leading COR internally, it’s up to you to help workers know what to expect before we arrive – and give them a chance to practice.
We recommend conducting practice interviews with a similar tone to what you’d expect an auditor to use. Your workers may feel comfortable talking with you so do your best to replicate the experience of a formal audit. Stick to the full length of interview time and include additional questions to clarify answers.
At the end of the day, all Associate Auditors know that the external audit process can be stressful. We do our best to help our interviewees get comfortable and to help you manage expectations while we’re there. Many factors are considered in passing an external audit and worker interviews are one part of this mix.
If you’re looking for support heading into an external audit our team is available to help you get there. We provide coaching to internal COR auditors and we can also assist with program implementation.
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