Changing and Improving AO Example — 250-Word Statement
At AO level, assessors want evidence that you welcome change rather than resist it. A strong example shows you spotting a small problem in your own work, suggesting a fix or trying a new method willingly, and adjusting your approach when given feedback. Numbers help, but scope can stay small.
Example statement
SI worked as a sales assistant at a busy supermarket. I noticed our stock-rotation routine left older chilled items at the back of the shelf, so we threw away short-dated food most evenings and colleagues accepted the waste as normal.
TI wanted to find a simple change that would cut waste on my section without slowing down my daily shelf-stacking duties.
AI asked my team leader if I could trial a different approach on the milk and ready-meal section for two weeks. I suggested a first in, first out strip on the shelf edge and a quick date check each time we topped up, rather than one big weekly check. I showed two colleagues the method and asked what would make it easier; they said the strip peeled off, so I switched to a small coloured marker on the crate instead. When a delivery arrived early, I adapted the routine so new stock went to the back before old stock was pulled forward. My manager was unsure at first, so I kept a simple tally of what we threw away each night and showed her the numbers after the first week. I welcomed her suggestion to add the date check to the closing checklist, which made the change much easier for the night team to follow.
RWaste on my section fell by around 40% over the month, saving roughly £120 a week, and the store manager rolled the routine out to three more sections across the store.
Use this as a model, not a script. This is an original example written for this site. Adapt the structure to your own experience — copying it word for word risks plagiarism and will not reflect your evidence.
Why this scores well
- Shows you spotted a problem yourself and suggested a practical fix, which is exactly what assessors want at AO level: openness to change and ideas for improvement.
- You adapted the method twice based on feedback from colleagues and your manager, showing you respond to feedback rather than defend your first idea.
- The result uses clear numbers (40%, £120 a week) and shows the change spread beyond your own section, proving real impact.
What AO level requires
| Grade | What assessors expect |
|---|---|
| AO ← this page | At AO, Changing and Improving means being open to new ways of working, suggesting simple ideas to improve your own tasks, and responding positively when someone gives you feedback. |
| EO | At EO, Changing and Improving means suggesting workable improvements to team processes, helping put them in place, and adapting your own approach when feedback or circumstances change. |
| HEO | At HEO, Changing and Improving means reviewing working practices, leading small-scale change with a clear method, involving the people affected, and measuring whether the change worked. |
Common mistakes at this level
- Describing a team change without naming what you personally did
- Choosing an example where you were forced to change and simply complied
- Saying you are 'always open to feedback' but showing no moment you acted on it
Frequently asked questions
Anything from your own daily work: a faster way you found to complete a task, a suggestion your supervisor adopted, or a time feedback made you change how you work. Retail, care, hospitality and volunteering examples are all equally valid. The key is your personal action and a clear, honest result.
Most departments ask for 250 words per behaviour, but check the job advert because some ask for more and limits on Civil Service Jobs can be word or character counts. Whatever the limit, keep the shape: two sentences of context, one of task, the bulk on your actions, and a measured result.
No. Volunteering, education, caring responsibilities and community roles all produce valid examples. What assessors score is the evidence: you noticed a better way, you acted, and you can say what happened. A supermarket or food-bank example can score as highly as any office story.
Next step
Get the free AO statement template pack — the same STAR structure used in this example.
Download the template pack