Let’s discuss the team members who are responsible for managing schedules, coordinating logistics, and delivering the essential services that are fundamental to your company’s success. While their roles are not always directly associated with generating profits or interacting with clients face-to-face, their contributions are irreplaceable. Without them, the company would grind to a halt in 2.2 seconds — even faster if someone needs a document that is buried in SharePoint. Administrative Professionals Week is coming up, and it’s the perfect opportunity to highlight your support team’s dedication and indispensability.
The individuals on your administrative and support team are standout examples of reliability. Working behind the scenes to troubleshoot and solve problems, they act as the silent force that sustains the vitality of the company's mission and vision. Their attention to detail ensures that no issue goes unnoticed while maintaining the stability and efficiency of daily operations. Armed with an intimate understanding of the company's intricate systems and processes, they offer timely and adept support across all departments. Moreover, their commitment to the continued mastery of their responsibilities creates a place of excellence and innovation that permeates through the company's core.
When administrative and support staff feel valued and acknowledged for their contributions, they tend to experience higher levels of job satisfaction. Recognizing the pivotal roles they play not only cultivates a sense of belonging but also nurtures a deeper commitment to the company's objectives. By laying the groundwork, you can significantly boost employee morale, thereby enhancing the likelihood of achieving strategic goals. Leveraging insights from personality assessments, such as The Omnia Behavioral Assessment, can further refine and customize your approach.
Engaging support staff in an interactive exercise not only injects excitement into the workplace but also ignites teamwork and camaraderie within the group. A sense of community and synergy among colleagues happens when collaboration is high.
Getting the entire company to participate in the recognition event establishes a culture of appreciation and acknowledgment. The benefit of this initiative lies in reinforcing positive behaviors and strengthening team cohesion. Recognize specific skills or traits that make admin and support staff exceptional.
Inviting your admin team to have lunch with you is a pathway to open communication and strengthens relationships across different levels of the company. This fosters a welcoming atmosphere for them to share their ideas and concerns which builds transparency and trust.
Facilitating healthy activities among the support team can decrease job fatigue. By doing this, you are demonstrating your focus on employees’ happiness and well-being.
Having employees share their expertise advances continuous learning within the team. This can enhance job performance, efficiency, and adaptability as employees learn from each other's experiences and best practices.
Administrative Professionals Week serves as a reminder of the important role played by administrative and support staff in driving the success of the business. Beyond just a designated week of recognition, it underscores the ongoing need to applaud and appreciate their tireless efforts throughout the year. Embracing tools, like the Omnia Group’s assessments and reports, enables a deeper understanding of team dynamics and individual strengths, further enhancing your ability to empower your team.
By having a culture of appreciation, you can nurture an environment where your support team feels seen, valued, respected, and motivated. Let us take this time not only to express sincere gratitude to our admin and support teams but also to reaffirm our commitment to their continued growth and success. Happy Administrative Professionals Week!
In today's fast-paced digital landscape, technology plays a critical role in driving innovation and shaping the future of work. Amidst the rush to adopt the latest tools and platforms, one crucial factor often overlooked is the influence of personality dynamics on how individuals embrace and engage with new technologies. Understanding these dynamics is essential for fostering a workplace culture that encourages innovation and harnesses the diverse strengths of team members. There’s an intricate relationship between tech and temperament. Let’s explore how personality impacts individuals' readiness to embrace new technologies and what leaders can do to cultivate an innovative culture.
We all know that human personalities are diverse, ranging from assertive to cautious, intuitive to analytical, fast paced, or methodical, and everything in between. The Omnia Group has been profiling personality traits for close to 40 years. We’ve helped thousands of clients hire the people who fit the job best and develop them to their full potential by diving deep into these variety of traits and personality groups.
Personality traits significantly influence individuals' attitudes toward technology adoption. For instance, extroverted individuals may be more inclined to embrace social collaboration platforms and video conferencing tools, thriving in environments that facilitate interaction and communication. Conversely, introverted team members might prefer asynchronous communication channels like email or messaging apps, allowing them to process information at their own pace and in solitude.
Moreover, personality traits such as an openness to new experiences and a propensity for risk-taking play a crucial role in one's willingness to adopt new technologies. Those who tend to be more adventurous, are eager to explore the latest AI and ChatGPT tools and experiment with how they can automate mundane tasks. On the other hand, individuals with a low tolerance for risk may be more cautious in their approach, preferring tried-and-tested technologies over cutting-edge advancements.
In addition to influencing technology preferences, personality traits also shape individuals' adaptation and learning styles. For example, sociable individuals with a preference for instinctual thinking may gravitate toward user-friendly interfaces and interactive learning. They might like the chance to learn new technologies on the job or in group settings where questions can be asked as they come up. People who are more reserved welcome the opportunity to learn technologies on their own, following tutorials and researching answers to questions. They tend to favor interfaces that are practical and logical, even if they are not very flashy.
Some learners are cautious and may worry about the risks that can be associated with adopting new technologies or may even fear that these technologies could replace human jobs. Others are ambitious and welcome the opportunities for goal achievement new technologies offer. For both these types of learners, security and safety need to be a consideration. Leaders should make it clear that the exploration and adoption of new technologies is supported and encouraged in the business, while reinforcing that anything employees explore needs to be within your IT policies and nothing puts your firm’s security at risk. They should offer reassurance around the learning process, making it clear that new technological skills make each person more valuable, and therefore less easily replaced.
Another consideration is conscientiousness versus resilience. These traits impact an individuals' ability and willingness to overcome challenges and setbacks encountered during the learning process. Highly conscientious individuals are likely to approach technology adoption with discipline, carefully honing their skills until they achieve mastery. However, they can worry about making mistakes, which may make them hesitant to try new things, initially. Resilient people are more comfortable with a trial-and-error approach to learning. They don’t mind getting things wrong, which makes them more comfortable innovating, but their big-picture orientation means they can have limited patience for technologies with too many steps or that require fastidious input.
Leaders should support a growth mindset across their company cultures, helping employees see that embracing innovation and new technologies helps our companies grow, and overcoming obstacles are opportunities for growth. Create a culture where embracing experimentation, persevering through learning curves, and even experiencing failure are essential parts of the learning journey.
To build a truly innovative workplace, leaders must recognize and embrace the diversity of personality traits within their teams. Rather than imposing a one-size-fits-all approach to technology adoption, leaders should create a culture that celebrates individual differences and honors unique strengths. By leveraging the diverse talents and perspectives of team members, organizations can foster creativity, drive innovation, and stay ahead of the curve in today's rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Leaders can facilitate cross-functional collaboration by creating opportunities for team members to exchange ideas, share knowledge, and collaborate on projects. By fostering a culture of openness and mutual respect, leaders can create an environment where every voice is valued, and diverse perspectives are welcomed.
Providing tailored support and resources is essential for accommodating the diverse learning styles and preferences of team members. Offer flexible training programs that cater to different learning preferences, including hands-on workshops, online tutorials, and peer-to-peer mentoring. By empowering individuals to learn at their own pace and in ways that resonate with their unique strengths, organizations can accelerate technology adoption and maximize the potential of their workforce.
Innovation thrives in environments where technology and temperament intersect harmoniously. By understanding how personality dynamics influence individuals' attitudes towards technology adoption and learning styles, leaders can create a workplace culture that fosters innovation and empowers every team member to reach their full potential. By embracing diversity, fostering collaboration, and providing tailored support, organizations can cultivate an innovative workforce capable of driving positive change and shaping the future of work in the digital era.
Ready to get started? Start with an Omnia Development Report for your team members. You’ll receive valuable insights into how you can help coach and motivate your team to thrive at technology innovation and drive long-term growth and success.
You hire each employee to fulfill a specific role within your organization. And, with rare exceptions, most of your team members want to meet or exceed your expectations. But they also want more. Your employees yearn to feel a deep passion for their work and to be inspired by your company’s mission. They long to make a positive impact on the world around them.
As their leader, you should desire these things for your team. By unleashing their passion, you’ll help your staff feel empowered, fulfilled, and happy. Passion starts with employee engagement.
According to Gallup, “…engaged employees produce better business outcomes than other employees -- across industry, company size, and nationality, and in good economic times and bad.” The numbers bear this out; the behaviors of highly engaged business units result in a 23% difference in profitability. If that’s not incentive enough to focus on engagement, Gallup also reported, “Not engaged or actively disengaged employees account for approximately $1.9 trillion in lost productivity nationally.”
When your employees have this deep connection to their jobs, your company will reap numerous benefits. Engagement will go up. Turnover will go down. And your team will become an innovative, problem-solving force that fosters productive relationships and pursues continuous learning -- all in the name of moving your enterprise forward.
So how do you encourage, tap into, and nurture your employees’ passions? You:
Your organization has to facilitate passion through engagement. And your company culture must reflect that desire to support the differing needs of each team member.
Shaping a culture that fosters passion begins with leadership -- old-school, rigid micromanaging and narrow-focused supervision is out. Collaborative, flexible, trusting, and visionary leadership is in.
Your employees need to know that it’s okay to fail if a calculated risk doesn’t pay off. They also need to know that you’re not after perfection -- you’re after results. And, while today’s performance is important, tomorrow’s growth and evolution are even more so.
This organizational stance has to be championed from the top down. As a leader, you need to model the behavior you want to see in your employees. Let your own passion show before you can expect your team to reveal theirs.
To be genuinely invested in and truly passionate about their work, your employees need to see that what they do matters. To help them recognize this, show them how their effort impacts their department, organization, and community. When each employee can trace their output to a larger outcome, they’ll take ownership of it and strive to improve.
Here are a few ways you can show your employees their real impact:
According to Omnia’s 2024 Talent Trends report, “The value of a company aligning with the ambitions of employees is clear. 77% of job applicants research company culture before applying for a job. 92% say that the company culture impacts their decision to stay longer.”
When you invest in an employee’s development, you tell them that you care about them and their career. With an enhanced skill set, they’ll feel more confident navigating uncertain times. They’ll also feel more loyal to your organization.
This development can also uncover and nurture your employees’ passions. As they learn by creating and doing, they’ll realize their potential and find new ways to help your organization achieve its goals. It’s a real win-win.
For best results, provide each employee with various developmental experiences tailored to their emerging skills and interests. Let them interact with other passionate team members across the organization to spread enthusiasm and innovation. And most importantly, give them ample space to experiment and implement what they learn.
It’s exciting to watch your team’s passion develop and deepen, benefiting each member and the business as a whole. What if you could get a sneak peek into your employees’ strengths, tendencies, and work preferences? That insight would help you position them for success both now and in the future and determine optimal developmental opportunities.
Good news! You absolutely can get that insight anytime you want it. A behavioral assessment provides all of those details and more, helping you lead, motivate, and communicate effectively with your team. You can learn more about Omnia’s behavioral assessments here.
Remember, effective communication leads to more productive employees and a more profitable workplace.
According to Dan Schawbel, managing partner at Workplace Intelligence (as reported by The Workforce Institute at UKG), “Feeling heard drives a sense of purpose and belonging. By implementing employee feedback, people leaders can create an organizational culture of psychological safety and trust that thrives when its people thrive.”
Behavioral insights can provide leadership with ideas on how to communicate with each team member efficiently and thoughtfully, to ensure that they each feel heard.
Omnia offers a variety of reports using behavioral assessment data. For example, the Team Dynamics Report provides an in-depth custom analysis of an existing or potential team. On the other hand, our Professional Development Report is an automated self-awareness report written directly to existing employees.
Passionate employees can achieve great feats for your organization. But, they must be empowered to create, innovate, and take risks. When they are, you’ll retain valuable human capital, and your company will take giant leaps forward -- both necessities in today’s ever-competitive business world.
This article is a repost from August 2020 with updated information and statistics.
In early 2023, our team at Omnia revisited and refreshed our company values. I remember well the conversations we had about specific word choices, and the one that stands out to me most was our conversation around our value of Commitment and Unequivocal Excellence. It was in this value that we intentionally stated that We are committed to our clients, each other, our community, and the company. One of the ways we live out this value is by having a consistent commitment to giving back our time, talent, and treasures to support our local community through volunteering, providing discounts on our services to non-profits, and giving our time and treasure to organizations whose missions mean the most to us.
As we approach the end of this year, my heart is full reflecting back on everything we’ve done together to help others. In a year that was filled with tumultuous economic and political climates, in an ever shifting and volatile business market, we found so much reward and fulfillment in giving back. It fueled us and our employee engagement.
All our Omnia Team members volunteer for organizations whose missions align closely with addressing the individuals or issues we care most about. Personally, I’m committed to helping students and young professionals grow and thrive, so I dedicate my time as a member of the University of South Florida (USF) MUMA College of Business Advisory Board. Helping people pave a path from homelessness and addiction is also an important issue for me, so I serve as the Chair of The Portico Advisory Team overseeing the execution of our vision and mission. Most recently, I was accepted into the Leadership Tampa Bay class of 2024 where I’ve already enjoyed so much exposure to community issues, change initiatives and social service organizations addressing these needs. I graduate next May and look forward to several more Leadership Days between now and then and all I will learn. There could be a whole blog on each of these experiences alone. There could be a whole blog on each of these experiences alone.
Our website lists all the organizations we support. In keeping with our commitment to community, this year we decided to select an organization to focus on each quarter. Our employees voted and selected the needs we want to support, and we have a small team who identifies the organization with the greatest need and sets out to implement a plan for support. We’ve donated time, money and items to a number of organizations this year. I’d like to dedicate this blog to reflect on all the ways we’ve demonstrated our commitment to community throughout 2023 and what it meant to us.
In February, our team sponsored and participated in the USF Intercollegiate Selling with The Bulls competition, just as we’ve done for several years. We provide complimentary assessments to business development club students and competition participants. Members of our team serve as judges in the competition—an inspiring two days of rounds of judging cold calling, LinkedIn connections, sales calls, and presentations. Seeing the talent of these students and their dedication to personal development gives us all hope for the sales professionals and leaders of our future.
For years we have been committed to supporting Habitat for Humanity, so it was an easy selection for our first all hands volunteer activity. In March, a Home Preservation project brought Omnia’s ten-member team of employees and their family members together with an area veteran and his wife bright and early on the first Saturday of March.
The Omnia team had the opportunity to work closely with the homeowners and get to know them. They also learned new skills, leveraged existing skills, enjoyed the beautiful Tampa weather, and got a great workout. It’s a day we’ve looked back on with great satisfaction and some good stories throughout this year.
Again, through my association with The Portico, I was exposed to an issue related to food insecurity specifically addressing those who don’t have kitchens and who can’t benefit from food donations when they don’t have a place to cook or refrigerate, much less even open a can of food. This issue really struck a chord for me, so I dedicated time to supporting the launch of Breadcoin in Tampa Bay. Later in the year, our Omnia Team packed bags and donated breadcoins for executives of the CEO Council of Tampa Bay to distribute throughout our community.
It might have been fate or luck helping when we chose our community activity for the summer. We gathered for a 4th of July party and decided to have everyone bring a donation to support a need near and dear to our hearts—animals! Just as Hurricane Idalia was hitting the west coast of Florida, our team dropped off a carload of pet food and toys that came just in time as the Hillsborough County Pet Resources Foundation was overrun with pets being dropped off by residents evacuating the Bay area.
As we gathered for our annual Omnia Day of Connection, we selected Hope for Her, an organization that provides a safe place where women experiencing crisis and trauma can find the strength, skills and support they need to rebuild their best lives. Once again, our generous colleagues donated food and an overstuffed SUV load of food supplies to make Thanksgiving dinner boxes.
Most recently, we gathered for our annual Holiday celebration, and our team selected Toys for Tots. Everyone in attendance brought a toy to give, and our remote colleagues both near and far shipped toys for delivery. It’s uplifting to think of the smiles these gifts will bring.
For the past two years, the Omnia Group has donated a portion of our annual profits with a cash donation to Habitat for Humanity that we send on behalf of our clients (we no longer send corporate gifts to clients). We are delighted to give a portion of our profits on behalf of our clients again this year. I’m also pleased to have another build date on our calendar for February 2024.
Studies continue to show that a commitment to corporate social responsibility, community involvement and work supported volunteer activities boost productivity, increase employee engagement, and improve retention. However, we don’t mandate any of these activities for our team. We lead by example. We involve our employees in selecting the activities and organizations that matter most to them, and we offer time off to individually support activities they choose on their own. That is what’s driven and supported our team’s participation and contributions. We benefit from high participation in every quarterly activity. And here’s what a few of our employees had to say about their experiences.
“Since joining Omnia almost four years ago, I've seen the significant impact that our founder Heather Caswell has had on the Tampa community throughout Omnia's 38-year history. The core leadership team actively engages in various community service initiatives, generously dedicating both time and financial resources to contribute meaningfully to the betterment of the community we serve. Our company's mission to give back and support the community is evident and I am thankful to work with our team.” - Jamie Morlock
"Companies that give back to the community aren't just contributing to social causes; they are investing in a culture of compassion and purpose. When employees see their organization making a positive impact beyond profits, it fosters a sense of pride and purpose, creating a workplace where engagement flourishes and collective success becomes a shared mission." - Kris Spell
"Omnia has truly transformed my approach to community involvement. Living within my territory, I've seamlessly blended personal and professional passions by expanding my engagement with organizations aligned with our business. This opportunity has been more than a chance to give back—it's about bridging our corporate mission with the heartbeat of the community, creating a profound impact that extends beyond the workday. I appreciate Omnia for providing not just a platform for professional growth but a canvas to weave my personal values into our shared purpose. I am thankful for this incredible opportunity.” - Blithe Woodham
Ralph Waldo Emerson may have said it best. “It is one of the beautiful compensations of life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.” Our teammates have all found joy and fulfillment through these activities throughout our year, and we look forward to seeing what joy 2024 will bring for all of us. Thank you for taking the time to read through these examples. May they inspire all of us to make an even bigger impact in the year ahead and in the years to come.
This article was written for readers of our partner publication CUInsight. It received such a positive reaction, we decided to share it with our weekly blog audience. We hope you find it helpful as well.
Have you heard about mouse jigglers? I discovered them during a recent lunch with a colleague dedicated to enhancing employee engagement for businesses. While discussing my upcoming speech on supporting hybrid teams, she urged me to mention "the jiggler." Curious, I inquired further. She enthusiastically explained how mouse jigglers simulate mouse movement to prevent screensavers and sleep mode, a device in high demand due to employers monitoring online statuses. This traffic light system tracks employee availability, signaling green for available, yellow for away, white for offline, and red for busy. It's intended to indirectly gauge productivity, but it's causing a trust divide between employers and employees.
The rise of mouse jigglers reflects employees' attempts to evade monitoring. These devices keep screens active, maintaining an "available" status even when the user is occupied with other tasks. This conversation with my colleague led us to a more significant concern: the implications of such monitoring on employee engagement.
In the dynamic landscape of credit unions, where community impact and member trust are paramount, your team members represent the true wealth of your business. They drive member service excellence and embody your credit union's mission. To unlock their full potential and cultivate an engaged workforce, leaders must embrace strategies focused on building trust and caring about each individual. It's not about monitoring availability; it's about prioritizing employee engagement.
Why is employee engagement more critical than ever? According to Haiilo,
However, the reality is concerning. Gallup's latest study reveals that only 23% of workers are actively engaged, with 18% actively disengaged. Over 50% fall into the "conditionally engaged" category, indicating that merely 23% of your staff are thriving and genuinely committed to your credit union's mission. The remaining 18% are not just disengaged but potentially disruptive to their peers' productivity, especially those in the 59% who are on the fence.
So, what can you do to ensure your team doesn't fall into this disengagement trap? It all boils down to one essential ingredient: CARE. Leaders must show they care by engaging with each team member individually, tailoring their approach, and maintaining consistency in communication, team norms, and continuous touch points.
In the hustle and bustle of the financial world, it's easy to overlook the human element. However, your credit union's mission and values come to life through your team members. Each individual brings a unique blend of skills, experiences, and motivations. As a leader, it's crucial to genuinely CARE about their well-being, growth, and job satisfaction.
When employees see that you CARE about their personal and professional growth, they are more likely to stay committed to your credit union's mission.
Recognize that each employee is a unique individual with distinct motivators, communication styles, and work preferences.
Begin by understanding what motivates each team member. Some may be driven by recognition and rewards, while others may find purpose in personal growth and the credit union's mission. Tailor your coaching and recognition strategies to align with their specific motivators. For those motivated by recognition, provide regular feedback and acknowledge their contributions publicly. For those seeking personal growth, offer opportunities for skill development and advancement within the credit union.
Next, pay attention to their communication style. Some employees prefer relational communication, emphasizing relationships and feelings, while others lean toward fact-based communication, focusing on data and logic. Adapt your coaching conversations accordingly. Use emotional intelligence and active listening when coaching relationally-oriented employees. For those who prefer a fact-based approach, provide clear, data-driven information and logical reasoning.
Effective leadership is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor. It's about adapting and TAILORing your strategies to meet the unique needs of your team members. Consider each individual’s preferred pace of work. Some thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, while others excel with a slower, more methodical pace. Offer new challenges and variety to those who thrive in a fast-paced setting. For employees who prefer a slower pace, provide stability, and assign routine or long-range tasks that benefit from patience and tenacity.
Balance the need for structure and autonomy. While some employees thrive with clear guidelines and structured processes, others are at their best when given autonomy and creative freedom. Customize your coaching and management style to provide the right level of guidance. Set clear expectations for those who need structure, and allow flexibility and opportunities for innovation for those who prefer autonomy.
Consistency is key to maintaining open lines of communication with your team and building trust and stability within the organization.
In the dynamic world of credit unions, leadership isn't just about managing finances; it's about inspiring and nurturing a team passionate about serving members and communities. Leading with CARE—Caring for every person on your team, Engaging individually, Tailoring your approach, and striving for Consistency—is the foundation of effective leadership and employee engagement.
By incorporating these principles into your leadership philosophy, you'll create a dynamic, engaged workforce that drives your credit union's success. As you nurture engagement within your team, your credit union will continue to thrive, serving members and communities with excellence for generations to come, and perhaps, we'll see a decline in mouse jiggler sales
Originally published on CUInsight.com.
With so many variables to consider when hiring, it can be hard to know how much weight to put on one over another. You know you want a candidate with pertinent experience, good references, the right educational qualifications (if applicable), and job-relevant behavioral traits. But how much consideration should you give to a candidate’s fit with your corporate culture? The answer is a resounding: It depends.
When I was doing preliminary research for this blog post, I was surprised to find, all on page one of my search results:
Why Culture Fit Is Critical in Startup Hiring (Indeed)
Why It’s Important New Hires Fit a Company’s Culture (Business.com)
Move Beyond Hiring for Culture Fit (Gallup)
Don't Hire for Culture Fit (SHRM)
This rollercoaster of articles matched my own feelings on the matter. Hiring for a cultural fit can be good or bad. It can create a cohesive team, boost morale, and minimize communication struggles, but it can also be exclusionary, unfair, and limiting.
The contradiction comes from all the different ways a company can describe or think about its culture and how they approach hiring for a cultural fit.
Corporate culture refers to the shared values, beliefs, attitudes, and practices that define the way an organization operates and the way its employees interact with each other, customers, and other stakeholders. It is the collective personality of a company and encompasses various aspects of its working environment.
Corporate culture is created both by choice and by circumstance. Leadership can decide on what values, beliefs, and practices to promote and implement, but the nature and type of business contributes to the culture as well. For example, a company that deals extensively with providing a service to the public may naturally be more service oriented than a company that focuses on business-to-business sales. A large, multinational corporation will have a different culture than a small, community-based business.
Since culture is essentially the personality of a company, it would make sense to hire people who fit that personality. And in some ways, it does. Take hiring for a startup, for example. Working for a fledgling company comes with high risks and greater demands. In return, it offers more potential for quick advancement and impressive gains. For some employees, the risk and the possible rewards are highly appealing. For others, the pressure is too much. Hiring someone who is aware of and comfortable with that level of risk can reduce stress both for the employee and the other stakeholders.
Now consider the opposite situation: established organizations that involve hierarchies, set schedules for wage reviews, and complicated processes for advancement (think government agencies or established universities). A person who loves risk and competition and needs continued, rapid growth to stay motivated could wither in this kind of work environment. Meanwhile someone who thrives on security and structure would excel.
It’s logical and practical to look for evidence (via reference checks, interview responses and behavioral assessments) that someone can keep up in a dynamic corporate culture, can stay energized in a competitive culture, or can build relationships effectively in a community centered culture. But if you move beyond considering whether a candidate can stay motivated and productive in your culture to less concrete factors, (do they “click” with your culture? could you see hanging out with them?) this is where hiring for a culture fit can be negative and even put you in legal jeopardy.
The problem with using cultural fit as a reason to select or reject someone is that it paves the way to miss out on well-qualified candidates based on what amounts to a feeling. Or worse, it can be used (either consciously or unconsciously) to disqualify someone on the basis of gender, race, religion, disability or other protected status.
Ruchika Tulshyan from SHRM points to the case where an overqualified candidate had excelled in a lengthy interview process and was then told another candidate was selected because they were deemed a better fit. When asked for feedback, her interviewer had none.
“Considering that she had all the pedigree and all the best references but was then told she wouldn't fit the culture of the institution, she couldn't ignore the only noticeable difference she had with everyone on the selection committee and eventually the person they hired: her identity as a Black woman.”
Even if all the criteria that constitutes a good cultural fit are written down, by nature, some aspects of it are impossible to quantify. That ambiguity leaves candidates free to decide for themselves what about them didn’t “fit” if they aren’t selected (especially if “fit” is given as a reason, as in the example above). If a core value of an organization’s culture is “work hard, play hard” for example, how would you identify a match with that in a potential hire? How do you know your choice of one candidate over another is based on anything more than, “I could see myself getting a beer with that person.” In other words, “they remind me of myself. “
People are notoriously bad at seeing our own biases, and hiring primarily based on cultural fit opens the door to allow biases to interfere with more objective criteria. If the result of this type of hiring is that employees think the same, approach problems the same way, and share the same backgrounds and experiences, it can be a quick path to stagnation.
If growth, innovation, and evolution are goals of your organization (as they should be), then instead of a cultural fit…
A cultural add looks for candidates who bring something new and unique to the company's culture. It values diversity of thought, background, and experience. The idea is that these individuals can introduce fresh perspectives, innovative ideas, and different ways of problem-solving that can benefit the organization.
Seek out candidates whose experiences, accomplishments, education, or ideas can add something new and different to your company, resulting in an even more effective corporate culture. Challenge your possible biases. If your first thought is that someone won’t fit in, explore why you think that, and make sure the reason is based not on assumptions but the information you have about the candidate from reviewing credentials, speaking to references and hearing their interview questions.
Focusing on finding a cultural add doesn’t mean changing your core values and principles. Your company literature, website, social media, and job postings should make the critical aspects of your culture clear. This allows applicants to determine for themselves if they feel they would fit in or if they have something new to bring to your organization. Inviting new perspectives allows the organization and culture to evolve. That is beneficial for everyone!
For more information about how Omnia and our behavioral assessments can help you find the perfect addition to your corporate culture, contact us, or reach out to your Customer Success Manager.
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