This article by Gustavo Razzetti caught our eye because the title seems counter-intuitive to all the modern discussions about hiring people who fit our company cultures. He opens by accepting that “culture is the glue that brings a team or organization together”. Which we all can accept as common sense. It’s when Mr. Razzetti writes about adding employees who can augment or stretch our cultures that we see his point.
As employees settle into our companies because we keep them challenged and feel appreciated. We run the risk of becoming inbred and tribal knowledge and cultural paradigms get rooted and we risk becoming stale. So many times we work with Owners and Leaders of organizations trying to ‘shake the cobwebs’ loose from a loyal workforce that’s become limited by its high seniority. Everyone knows only what they’ve learned there and habits get passed down from retirees to new employees. Invigorating, modernizing, and changing such cultures is not done overnight and is never easy. Because, in part, the companies have sponsored the very culture that then handcuffed it.
Our services are usually used to find “the square peg for the square hole”, that candidate with job-ready knowledge, experience, and ability. And, most often, our clients tip the scale to the candidate who seems most likely to “fit in” to the team. Mr. Razzetti’s advice would suggest that, once we’ve confirmed we have candidates with the appropriate knowledge, experience, and ability, we might be wise to specifically tip the scale to the candidate or candidates who might influence some positive change to our existing culture. And, in doing so when we recruit from the outside, we keep our cultural core intact, but fluid and adaptable.
We hope you enjoy the article! ~ Jim Fairfax
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Stop Hiring For Cultural Fit and Start Hiring For Cultural Fitness
~ Gustavo Razzetti, TLNT of ERE MEDIA, 2017 – www.tlnt.com
