The Future of Hiring: Embracing Culture Add Over Culture Fit

The concept of ‘Culture Fit’ has long dominated recruitment strategies, prioritising candidates whose core values, beliefs, and behaviours align seamlessly with the existing organisational culture. While this approach may foster a cohesive team, it risks creating a homogenous workforce that stifles innovation and growth.

To drive meaningful progress and diversity, companies must shift their focus from culture fit to culture add.

The Pitfalls of Culture Fit

Hiring for culture fit hinges on the idea of bringing in employees who blend effortlessly into the current workplace environment. Although this sounds ideal in theory, it often leads to a repetitive cycle where the same type of person is hired over and over again. This not only limits diversity but also impedes the introduction of fresh perspectives essential for innovation.

Moreover, hiring for culture fit can perpetuate implicit biases.

Recruiters might lean on gut feelings and personal comfort levels during interviews, favouring candidates who share similar backgrounds, interests, or even hobbies. This unconscious bias can exclude highly qualified candidates who could offer valuable new viewpoints, ultimately hampering the organisation’s growth.

How to Get Your Team on Board with a ‘Culture Add’ Mindset

To effectively integrate a ‘Culture Add’ mindset into your team, it’s essential to foster a workplace culture that values diversity and innovation.

Start by ensuring that all recruiters and hiring managers understand the significance of this approach.

This shift from a traditional ‘culture fit’ perspective to one that embraces ‘culture add’ can be challenging, so it’s crucial to communicate its benefits clearly.

Introducing Culture Add

Culture Add represents a progressive shift in hiring strategy. Instead of seeking candidates who merely fit into the existing culture, culture add focuses on individuals who can enhance and diversify it. These candidates bring unique experiences, ideas, and perspectives that can drive the organisation forward.

For example: in a workplace that predominantly consists of individuals with a high-intensity work ethic. Introducing someone with a more relaxed approach could balance the environment, promoting better work-life balance and overall productivity. 

What to Look Out For in Culture Add Hiring:

– Values Alignment with a Twist: Ensure candidates share your core values but also bring something new to the table.

– Filling Gaps: Identify areas in your current culture that need strengthening and look for candidates who can fill those gaps.

– Diverse Perspectives: Embrace differences in backgrounds, ideas, and approaches to foster a more inclusive and innovative workplace.

Read our interview with Pooja Salpekar, Head of Engineering at Babbel on Tech Teams and Managerial Dynamics.

Steps to Hire for Culture Add

1. Measure Organisational Values: Clearly define and measure the values that are crucial to your organisation’s success.

2. Standardised Testing for Candidates: Utilise tools like the ‘Culture Add’ test by TestGorrilla to objectively assess candidates’ alignment with these values.

3. Objective Comparison: Compare candidates on a quantifiable scale to ensure unbiased and fair evaluation. Make sure to develop your own DEI Candidate Scorecard.

The Benefits of Culture Add

– Evolving Culture: Culture add promotes a dynamic and evolving workplace culture that can adapt to new challenges and opportunities.

– Diverse Ideas: Embracing different ideas while maintaining shared values ensures a robust and innovative environment.

– Increased Diversity and Inclusion: Moving beyond surface-level similarities to focus on core values opens the door to a more diverse and inclusive workforce.

Shifting from culture fit to culture add can initially seem uncomfortable, but it’s a crucial step towards building a stronger, more diverse, and innovative team.

By embracing this approach, companies can break free from stagnation, leverage diverse perspectives, and ultimately achieve greater success.