Is hiring for cultural fit becoming as important as skills?
Is the recruitment process changing as companies’ values change? Are we changing the way we recruit in order to provide something special which can enrich companies? It’s difficult when you have hundreds of applicants and there is that additional burden on an already busy schedule. And you think, can I afford to spend time in an in-depth examination of each application? Well, the answer is yes. The question you should really ask yourself is whether you can afford not to!
The employee you choose will have a profound effect on the culture and attitude of the organisation. If you choose a person that does not fit in to the organisation’s culture, the chances are you will be faced with the task to fill that post all over again as well as a number of unhappy employees.
For this reason, the concept of hiring for cultural fit has taken more priority in the company agenda recently. When hiring for cultural fit, you are looking for candidates who will support the culture and ethos of the company, but also bring something extra to boost the organisation.
At its core, cultural fit means that employees' beliefs and behaviours are in alignment with their employer's core values and company culture. For example, you wouldn’t want an introvert working in a company who has open plan office and team projects to promote creativity, or on the other hand an ambitious employee working in a company that offers no training or development. An employee who is not aligned with the culture and is not committed to living it can wreak havoc pretty quickly, even if they bring a great deal of skill and experience to their craft.
However, seeking cultural fit doesn’t mean hiring clones. In fact, research shows that diverse teams actually perform better than like-minded ones. It’s vital to be able to recognize a strong fit for the company, even when a candidate’s personality and ideas might be far different from the company’s. A company having a diverse workforce will help with their approach and strategy as they are far more likely to deliver innovative solutions which resonate with its consumers.
Nowadays, hiring just for the sake of filling a position is becoming less and less accepted as companies are focusing more on acquiring people who will fit into the company perfectly like a jigsaw puzzle! Hiring for cultural fit not only makes the company happy but also in the end makes the employee happy as they will be in the best environment to excel.
