Fast Stream Situational Judgement (Public Sector Scenarios) 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Your line manager asks you to send a briefing note to ministers using data you believe may be outdated. What should you do first?
- Raise your concern with your manager before sending (Correct answer)
- Send the note and flag the issue afterwards
- Send the note as instructed without comment
- Ask a colleague to send it instead
Correct answer: Raise your concern with your manager before sending
Civil servants have a duty to provide accurate advice. Raising the concern before sending is the most responsible action and aligns with the Civil Service value of honesty.
Question 2: A colleague regularly takes extended lunch breaks, which affects team output. Your manager has not noticed. What is the most appropriate response?
- Speak to your colleague directly and calmly about the impact (Correct answer)
- Immediately report it to your manager without speaking to the colleague
- Ignore it as it is not your responsibility
- Complain to other team members
Correct answer: Speak to your colleague directly and calmly about the impact
Speaking directly to the colleague first is respectful and gives them a chance to address the issue. Escalating without first speaking to them may damage working relationships unnecessarily.
Question 3: You discover that a process your team has followed for years contains a significant inefficiency. You have an idea for improvement. What should you do?
- Document your idea and raise it through the appropriate channels (Correct answer)
- Implement the change yourself without telling anyone
- Dismiss the idea as your team has always done it this way
- Wait until your annual review to mention it
Correct answer: Document your idea and raise it through the appropriate channels
Civil servants are encouraged to challenge and improve. Documenting and raising ideas through proper channels ensures changes are assessed and implemented correctly.
Question 4: You are working on a confidential policy document when a journalist contacts you directly asking for details. What is the correct action?
- Decline to comment and refer them to the press office (Correct answer)
- Share the document as transparency is important
- Ask a colleague what to do before responding
- Tell them you will look into it and call them back
Correct answer: Decline to comment and refer them to the press office
Confidential government documents must not be shared without authorisation. The press office handles all media enquiries to ensure proper protocol is followed.
Question 5: Your team is under pressure to meet a deadline, and a shortcut would save time but reduce the quality of the output. What should you do?
- Discuss the trade-off with your manager and agree a course of action (Correct answer)
- Take the shortcut to meet the deadline without telling anyone
- Miss the deadline to maintain full quality without informing anyone
- Ask your manager to extend the deadline without explaining why
Correct answer: Discuss the trade-off with your manager and agree a course of action
Decisions about quality versus time should be made transparently with your manager. This respects both accountability and the need for informed decision-making.
Question 6: A member of the public sends an angry complaint about a policy you helped develop. How should you respond?
- Acknowledge the complaint professionally and explain the process for formal responses (Correct answer)
- Defend the policy in detail and explain why the complainant is wrong
- Ignore the email as policy complaints go through other channels
- Forward it to your manager without any acknowledgement
Correct answer: Acknowledge the complaint professionally and explain the process for formal responses
Professional, courteous acknowledgement is expected. Civil servants must treat members of the public with respect and direct them to the correct process.
Fast Stream Situational Judgement (Public Sector Scenarios) 1
Your line manager asks you to send a briefing note to ministers using data you believe may be outdated.
What should you do first?