Reexamining “Culture Fit” in the Applicant Selection Process

Today’s post comes to us from Dr. Jarik Conrad , vice president of human insights at UKG and executive director of the UKG Workforce Institute.??

It has been well-documented that the phrase “culture fit” has been widely used as a trump card for hiring managers to deny opportunities to qualified applicants whose gender, ethnicity, age, religion, or sexual preferences are not preferred. Not being interested in playing golf on Friday afternoons with the guys or attending church on Sundays shouldn’t be barriers to employment.??

Yet, hiring managers continue to look for candidates who complement the competencies, skills, and interests of their organizations’ current employees. This alignment is so important that more than nine in ten (91%) employers say they interview for a workplace culture fit, and nearly eight in ten (77%) candidates say they consider an organization’s culture before applying for an open position. Even more, according to a recent study by the UKG Workforce Institute, one in three (36%) C-level leaders in the U.S. say cultural fit is one of the three most important things they look for in the ideal job candidate. So, what is a hiring manager to do???

For one thing, they must own up to the gap between their organization’s ideal and actual cultures, the difference between what they say they are and what they really are. Vision statements and posted core values are more often aspirational than lived, requiring significant investments in time and money to train employees to achieve the aspirational goals. Changing adults is hard, however.??

Perhaps a better plan is to seek out candidates whose nature and skills already complement a company’s mission and core values. Put another way, organizations may be well-suited by hiring people for what the organization wants to become, as opposed to hiring based on what the organization has been.??

Culture Catalysts??

Obviously, this sea change in a long-preferred hiring methodology may be disruptive. For example, current employees may feel pressured to accept people whose new ideas and work styles challenge the status quo. Facing perceived roadblocks, new employees may become frustrated, requiring a great deal of support and reassurance so they don’t become disillusioned.??

Nevertheless, the change in hiring for who people yearn to be vs. who they were in college and in past job roles is worth the effort. The challenge is how to attract and select these future culture catalysts helping to reshape life and work within your organization. Here are a few actions to consider.??

First, hiring officials must move beyond a traditional recruitment agenda that is fixated on finding people whose resumes suggest a set of skills that are “right for the job.” Instead, they must pursue an approach designed to identify and prioritize skills that are “right for the company.” Generally, this means less emphasis on technical skills that can be easily taught, and more emphasis on so-called soft skills like problem solving, critical thinking, adaptability, communication, and teamwork. These are the skills that mirror the company’s core values. They are more difficult to develop but reflect true culture fit.??

With these skills in mind, the next action is to reimagine the interview process. The field of behavioral interviewing is a good place to start, as it sets the stage for a more strategic candidate-screening process. The idea is to focus on the candidate’s past behaviors to get a read on their future behaviors. The emphasis must be on what they did as opposed to how they say they feel.??

For instance, asking, “How do you feel about diversity and inclusion?” will generate a different response than asking, “Give me an example where you demonstrated your commitment to DEI&B?” Similarly, asking, “Would you report evidence of toxic workplace behaviors in the organization?” will generate a different response than asking, “Can you describe a time where you reported toxic workplace behavior to a supervisor or senior executive?”??

Here’s another question that will help draw out the behaviors of a candidate: “Can you give me an example of when you made a mistake at work, had difficulties finishing a task on time, or had a conflict with a team member?” Every one of us has had these experiences. If a candidate comes prepared with imagined stories in response to expected questions, ask probing follow-up questions that require added details. “So, you interceded when a team member said something inappropriate? That’s great. What did you say? How did the person react? Were other people present? How did they react? Did you inform your boss? What did your boss do?”??

Behavioral interviewing is harder and more time-consuming, but it elevates the opportunity to find someone with a transferable blend of skills who can be an ambassador for the culture. Perhaps more importantly, hiring managers will be better equipped to flag potential toxic behaviors, guiding them to move beyond the hiring of people whose technical skills alone make them “right for the job.”??

This is a positive development for another reason: Toxic employees may rise through the ranks to become toxic managers and senior executives. A case in point is the jarring allegations by the Wall Street Journal of a toxic workplace culture at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), resulting in the unplanned departures of more than 20 women employees. Deliberately overlooking toxic workplace behaviors like bullying, belittling, disrespect, and worse gives a green light that such behaviors are tolerated.??

No wonder more than eight in ten (83%) employees in a survey reported by Inc. magazine say they wouldn’t report workplace harassment if they saw evidence of it, as 41% had no confidence in management to respond to their complaints. The survey was not a quick poll of a few dozen employees — 40,000 employees at 125 companies responded.??

Change is always tough, but the hiring process will become more fruitful. As hiring for culture fit becomes increasingly less prone to bias and discrimination, the more diverse the employee population will become. Diversity promotes diversity. It’s hard to hire someone who looks like everyone else if everyone looks different.?