What is culture fit
Interviews are conducted to determine whether the candidate is a Cultural Fit for the organization. A person who is a culture fit blends in with the companys corporate culture, which includes the organizations norms and values, beliefs, leadership structure, and practices. Employees who are happy and pleased at work perform better and are also more likely to stay with the company for a more extended period.
Hiring for culture fit
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Hiring based on cultural fit is a form of prejudice towards persons with different personalities. Others argue that cultural fit is the most crucial thing to consider; after all, talents can be taught, but attitudes cannot.
Why is it critical to hire for a companys culture fit?
The glue that ties a company together is culture fit. As a result, its an important quality to look for while hiring. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, turnover due to poor culture fit can cost an employer 50-60% of a persons annual compensation. However, before the hiring team can assess candidates cultural fit, they must first define and express the companys culture - its values, goals, and practices – and then incorporate this knowledge into the hiring process. The culture of a company is crucial. It aids in the identification of a workforces attitudes, viewpoints, and direction. Getting it right leads to enhanced growth, whilst getting it wrong or just not fostering it can lead to a companys demise.
These are some of the advantages of hiring for culture fit
- Performance at the highest level.
Workers are eager to take on new challenges and responsibilities when they feel like they belong. Their desire to go the additional mile benefits the entire team.
- Stress levels are reduced.
The lack of a job fit causes a lot of stress, which may be avoided with a value alignment between people and the work environment. Stress destroys coworker relationships and prevents individuals from completing their tasks well.
- Hiring for cultural fit results in a happier workplace.
As previously mentioned, hiring someone who isnt a good cultural fit can result in a sour working environment. Someone unhappy at work may contribute to the low morale of other employees.
- It is cost-effective
Employees will want to stay if there is an effective culture fit because they believe they benefit from a role they enjoy. This implies that when you hire a talented person who also matches your company culture, youre hiring for the long haul, lowering recruitment costs in the process.
- Employee satisfaction has improved.
Happy employees are more productive, engaged, and driven to achieve. In any business where employees are entrusted with the firms health, this is an essential combination.
Drawbacks of Hiring Culture Fit
- Discipline Defeat
When hiring for \"cultural fit,\" managers are likely to make decisions the same way they would when adding a new member to their network of acquaintances. Managers may find it difficult to discipline bad performers when this is the case. While having personal relationships with employees is a plus, it can make it harder for HR leaders to step in and deal with bad behaviour. Because the purpose of company culture should be to improve employee performance, recruiting for culture fit can be a hindrance
- An Integrated Workforce
Ethnicities, genders, and religions arent the only things that make a workplace diverse. Another issue that could arise if employees are hired only based on their cultural fit is that the workplace can have people who never challenge each other. Problems are solved, and new ideas are developed when a healthy workforce comprises people with different viewpoints and approaches.
- Allowing good talent to leave
Recruiters must keep in mind that, while a candidates personality is vital, it is not the \"be-all and end-all\" of a solid skill match. Putting culture fit ahead of t abilities that are more important to success in the workplace could be detrimental to the success of the company.
A study done by Northwestern University surveyed hiring managers who made recruiting decisions primarily on a candidates personality rather than their hard skills and relevant expertise. They discovered that these decision-makers preferred to hire persons similar to them in terms of personalities, backgrounds, and hobbies. In other words, they hired their \"best friends\" rather than the best candidate for the job. Finally, based on their skill level, the most competent individuals were passed over merely because they did not share the interviewers interests.
According to Shellenbarger, research reveals that in a pattern known as \"looking-glass merit,\" managers prefer to choose people that make them feel good about themselves. Hiring for \"cultural fit,\" according to Shellenbarger, can increase the tendency by managers to employ someone with a similar educational background or related interests.
What is a culture fit interview?
A culture fit interview is an objective technique to determine if someone is a good fit for your company. Answering cultural fit interview questions reveals a lot about a candidates preferred work style, desired work environment, and personal beliefs and values.
These are some of the questions asked in a culture fit interview
- What makes you look forward to going to work?
- What was the most recent genuinely outstanding book you read?
- What is it about you that friends and associates find surprising?
- What would you do if you were to start your own company?
- What is the most pressing issue in todays offices?
- What did you like best/worst about your previous employer?
- When, where, and how do you produce your greatest work?
- When was the last time you made a significant workplace blunder?
- What is the best way for a manager to help you?
- Describe the best (or worst) team-building activity youve ever done.
- How do you deal with pressure and tight deadlines?
- What do you intend to do in the next five years?
- What are the top five things youll need to be successful in this position?
- What activities are you interested in?
Esther N Nheta is a consultant at Industrial Psychology Consultants (Pvt) Ltd, a management and human resources consulting firm.
Phone +263 4 481946-48/481950/2900276/2900966
Cell number +263 715579527
Email: esther@ipcconsultants.com or visit our website at www.ipcconsultants.com