Is Culture Fit Discrimination?

Most social groups are made up of people from similar backgrounds, with similar educational levels, status, race, age, and income. It’s because people seek out people who are similar to themselves. People naturally - and subconsciously - gravitate towards familiar people, and there's even an anthropological reason for it - we used to feel safe with people who looked like our own tribe (source). 

Although we are no longer in tribes, groups of people, as well as organisations and businesses, often lack diversity for the same reason. Hiring for ‘culture fit’ can encourage interviewers to overlook prospects that look, think, and behave differently from themselves and their team. 

We want to work with people who are similar to us as we think they are just as hardworking, able and successful as we are; however, in reality, everyone is different regardless of their appearance and background. 

It’s an unconscious bias that we cannot help without being consciously aware of it. 

While a sense of familiarity is comforting, it'll only take your team so far.

The culture fit myth

Hiring for culture fit often means finding someone who will integrate seamlessly into your organisation. They will most likely be similar to the existing people in your team. 

Although culture fit doesn’t seem like discrimination, it does present bias towards what is comfortable and familiar, which can make it difficult for people who may not ‘fit in’. 

Hiring for ‘fit’ may lead your organisation to create a culture or subculture of a ‘club’ because they represent a culture you must conform to if you want to be successful in the organisation. 

For example, if your company has a culture of ‘drinking’, you’re unlikely to hire someone who doesn’t drink, purely based on the fact that they may not fit into the team (more on drinking culture here).

Instead of hiring for fit, hire based on your team's weaknesses

Hiring to add to your current culture is non-discriminative as you are not hiring for similarities but differences, which can positively impact your culture. 

People who are different can add to your company in many ways, including:

• Diverse thinking

• Creativity

• Personality

• Innovative thinking

While it is always important that applicants meet baseline qualifications and be compatible with the team, innovative organisations need to identify what is missing from their teams and find people who could contribute to this missing part. If your team is missing energy, hire someone with enthusiasm. If your team is missing creativity, hire someone creative. We have previously published a blog on hiring based on your weaknesses.

No team is perfect, and there is always room for improvement. Finding the people who can improve your team, rather than be the same as everyone else, is much more beneficial to your business. 

Hiring this way can create a workplace that is aligned on where it matters, allowing people to bring their full, genuine selves to work, regardless of who they are, what they look like and where they come from.