Culture Fit vs. culture Add: Crafting a Dynamic Workplace

As trends continue to shift, balancing the alignment of potential employees with existing cultural values and embracing new perspectives is key to building a thriving, adaptable workplace

CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on BetterUp

As we head into the latter part of 2024, the workplace trends shaping this year’s business discussions are still evolving. A significant focus has been on workplace culture, highlighting its role in reflecting an organisation’s personality and brand. This focus on culture has increasingly become a central element of a organisational messaging and brand narrative.

As a result, employers are placing greater emphasis on potential candidate’s alignment with the core values and practices that define their organisation, both internally for employees and externally as part of its public image. Hiring managers often seek candidates who will be a strong ‘culture fit,’ meaning they align well with the existing team and the organisation’s values and goals. However, this can introduce biases into the hiring process, potentially limiting diversity and inclusion.

Cultural fit vs cultural add

Culture fit describes how well an employee’s beliefs, behaviours and values align with those of the organisation they are part of or are applying to join. It emphasises that a person’s attitude and work style should be in sync with the company’s culture and practices. On the other hand, culture add approach focuses on how a candidate can contribute to and enrich the existing culture by bringing in new perspectives and diversity, rather than just blending in.

Finding the balance

For recruiting businesses, both culture fit and culture add approaches offer distinct advantages. Hiring for culture fit promotes a sense of unity and alignment with shared goals and values, enhancing cohesion within the team. Meanwhile, focusing on culture add introduces new perspectives and diverse opinions, challenging existing assumptions and infusing the organisation with innovative ideas.

Hiring a candidate who aligns with your business culture can lead to higher job satisfaction and lower turnover, reducing both training and recruitment costs. However, diverse teams often exhibit greater resilience and adaptability to change. Therefore, recruiters should approach interviews with a variety of questions to assess both culture fit and culture add, ensuring they evaluate how well candidates align with the existing culture while also considering how they can contribute new perspectives and drive innovation.

Examples of culture fit questions

• What does your ideal work environment look like?
• How do you prefer to be managed?
• What attracts you to our company?
• Can you describe a time when you felt most aligned with your team?
• How do you handle conflicts within a team?
• Which aspects of our culture resonate with you?

Examples of culture add questions

• Can you share an example of a time when you introduced a new idea at work?
• How do you collaborate with individuals who have different perspectives?
• What distinctive viewpoints or skills can you contribute to our team?
• How would you contribute to making our workplace more inclusive?
• Describe a situation where you challenged the status quo. What was the result?
• How do your values align with or differ from ours, and how might this impact your roll?

As we navigate the evolving landscape of workplace trends into the latter part of 2024, balancing culture fit with culture add becomes increasingly crucial. While aligning candidates with existing cultural values fosters unity and reduces turnover, incorporating diverse perspectives enriches the team and drives innovation. By thoughtfully integrating both approaches into the hiring process, organisations can create a dynamic and resilient workplace that not only fits current needs but also adapts to future challenges.