7 Questions to Determine Culture Fit for Your Company

Before determining whether a candidate is a good fit for your company, you need to have a keen understanding of what cultural fit looks like for your company. If the driving force for working anywhere was just about money, then cultural fit wouldn’t be an issue, companies and candidates alike wouldn’t care where they worked or who they hired. It isn’t just about money though and companies know it. For companies to stay ahead of the curve, stay innovative and stay connected to their brand they need workers who have an awareness of their own self-identity. This means hiring candidates that fit your company’s needs. Lundin’s Theories and Systems of Psychology (5^th ed.) teaches us that cultural fit of an organization is “a fit where there is similarity between the norms and values of a business and those of a person.”  Here are seven questions that will help you determine whether a candidate has the right cultural fit for your organization.

What is your ideal work environment?
Whether job potential, making more money or work/life balance, this question will help you assess a candidate’s goals and their fit for your organization.

What is your work style?
If your company is primarily a team-oriented work atmosphere, this question is a great way to find out if a candidate is more autonomous in nature or can work in a team environment.

How would past co-workers describe the way you work?
If you are interviewing a candidate who has worked in both an autonomous and team-oriented atmosphere, then this question will help zero in on what role they played in a team environment and how willing they are to step up to the plate in given situations.

Is the work meaningful to the candidate?
Sheila Margolis, the President of Workplace Culture Institute, states that there is greater liklihood that a candidate will stay with a company where the work feels meaningful. It is also a great motivator, for both candidate and company, if the work you do is important to the person you are hiring.

Why is the work meaningful?
This question is a great follow up to the above for two reasons. First, it shows you that the candidate knows exactly what your company does (i.e. they’ve done their homework), and second, it helps you determine if the candidate has a good grasp of your company’s philosophy and if their values align with that of the company.

Give us an example of how you problem solved a clients needs?
For companies whose main function is client interaction, this question gives you insight into a candidate’s problem-solving techniques, their self-assessment strengths, and whether they are willing to ask for help when needed.

What do you see as a good manager/employee relationship?
This question is vital in determining cultural fit. All managers bring something different to the table, but being able to work well with their team or department is essential to the health of your business. If you know that most of your managers have an open-door policy and have high interaction with their team, then the candidate you are interviewing should see their relationship with managers the same way.

Having the right culture fit for your organization is not only healthy for the life of your business, but for the longevity of the clients you interact with and the employees you hire. It is also important to note that many companies these days add their cultural fit into their mission statement, making their philosophy more widely accessible to both staff and clients.

Pridestaff Financial considers the culture fit of your company vital for any candidate that is placed. Contact us today to learn how we can help meet your hiring needs.