Having success with your Innovation and Inclusion efforts can be largely dependent on whether your organization hires for someone who fits on or is a good fit.
This is sometimes referred to as culture fit vs culture add.
What does it mean when employees fit in with their coworkers, and what does it mean when they are a good fit?
In this episode of Know the Difference, we are going to explore the key differences between what it really means when we talk about fit in the workplace, and what we should be striving for, people who fit in or people who are a good fit.
In many workplaces, there is the expectation that new employees we hire need to fit into our existing culture, we sometimes call this culture fit. However, that term is misleading. It often unintentionally means that people need to assimilate into the existing culture or fall in line with how things always have been done. This can often be the unlying cause of problems like systemic inequity or complacency. It can also embolden toxic environments and normalize discrimination.
Let’s get started by first defining Fitting In and Being A Good Fit.
Fitting In is reinforcing the status quo and enabling homogeneous workplaces. Expecting new people to become what the workplace sees as normal or expected.
Whereas Being A Good Fit is about expecting the alignment of key qualities, like work ethic and respect in the workplace. Letting the rest of their views and personality be about complementing the existing skills and perspectives, often allowing for new ideas and points of view, sometimes this is referred to as value fit.