Did you catch the last YES! Your Human Resources Solution blog, where we told job-seekers how to avoid a catastrophic cultural mismatch at their next company? This next installment is for all you HR professionals, small-business owners, and hiring managers who want to hire a good cultural fit: an employee whose values, beliefs, behavior, and outlook are consistent with your company’s. So how important is cultural fit in a new hire, and how can you assess cultural fit during an interview?

HOW IMPORTANT IS CULTURAL FIT IN A NEW HIRE?

A big question among recruiters is whether an employee should be chosen based on cultural fit versus competence (especially since two-thirds of you have lost an employee over a cultural mismatch). Ideally you would find a candidate with high levels of both, but when that’s not possible, high cultural fit and moderate competence is the way to go. You can always improve an employee’s skills; you can’t change how closely an employee jives with your company’s vision and values. An employee who aligns with your company’s values is more likely to get along with fellow employees and to feel satisfied and happy on a daily basis—all a good match for morale, loyalty, and retention. Employees who feel uncomfortable, out of place, or unhappy with the culture are more likely to leave for a company that better suits them.

HOW CAN YOU ASSESS CULTURAL FIT DURING AN INTERVIEW?

Although each candidate’s personality will trigger your gut instinct (and this is worth listening to!), the best way to gauge how an employee will fit in is to ask the right interview questions. Here are a few of our favorites:

• Describe your ideal company culture/work environment. Want to know, just ask, right? You can even ask these as two separate questions. Candidates tend to answer “culture” questions with a social aspect, such as, they like a relaxed environment where people can freely talk to one another. Asking about “work environment” can yield answers about management style, personal leave, teamwork, and so on.
• Which of these things is most important in your professional future: stability, recognition, challenge, work environment, or money? There is no right or wrong answer; as long as the candidate is honest, you will get a solid understanding of what they value and whether your company also values it. A candidate who answers “money” will be disappointed if your company’s pay scale isn’t very competitive, whereas a candidate who answers “challenge” will be pleased if your company has many growth opportunities.
• Talk about a time when you provided exceptional customer service. How much does this candidate value customer service? What do they consider “above and beyond”? Find out if coworkers and customers are going to cheer for their helpful nature, or be turned off by an unwillingness to step up to the plate.
• What did you like about the best boss you ever had? Putting an “independent” worker under a micromanaging boss would be a devastating mismatch. Use this question to learn how a candidate likes to be managed, what projects and challenges they prefer, what level of recognition they need, and how they expect a boss to support them, such as through mentoring and training.

The first step to hiring great employees is recognizing the importance of a cultural match, and being able to place culture above competence when the situation calls. The next step is asking the right questions to find a great match. Employees who love where they work are more likely to stay for the long haul!