Cultural Fit vs. Cultural Add: Which is More Important for Your Workplace?
After reviewing Inc. Magazine's 2023 CEO Survey results, one answer stood out to our team the most.
When CEOs were asked about their greatest challenge in attracting qualified talent, 36% said it was matching applicants to their culture.
The keyword here? Matching.
Industry research confirms cultural fit’s importance to companies across the board, but as leaders build strategies to welcome diverse perspectives, it will be important to consider one poignant question:
Does “matching applicants to culture” really welcome fresh ideas and unique viewpoints?
Arguably not.
“Matching applicants to culture leads to more of the same—a stagnation built from a status quo mindset,” shares DE&I leader and Nexus strategic partner Eddie Pate, Ph.D. “Seeking applicants who add cultural value opens doors for idea stimulation, innovation, and growth.”
So what if CEOs and executive leaders re-framed this mindset and started looking at talent from a “cultural add” standpoint vs. “cultural fit”?
Such a shift may address this challenge of attracting qualified talent by focusing on the benefits of seeking diverse perspectives and lived experiences.
