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Employees Should 'Fit In' Firms As Well As Have The Right Skills
There’s good fit—like a glove—or there’s bad fit—like socks on a rooster. In terms of an organization, fit has more to do with adapting and suitability. And fit, or compatibility, is probably the major key to employee retention.
Companies frequently tell consultants the most important factor in a recruitment effort is that the employee "fit in." What they mean is that the new employee must share a majority of the company’s philosophies, styles and beliefs. When adding a new employee, fit figures as importantly as professional skills in assessing a long-term success. Professionally, Pavarotti is entirely capable of singing at the Grand Ol’ Opry, but there is little likelihood he would be a good long-term fit. Poor fit causes endless hours of trauma and the breakup of many a professional match that seemed made in heaven.
Fit between an individual and a corporation is essential to recruitment and retention, but more important, it affects the overall functioning of an organization.
Despite its importance, little thought is given to what a good fit is, how to recognize compatible characteristics in a candidate or even what personality an organization projects. We call the collective personality the "glue" that binds an organization.
The "glue" refers to the intangible characteristics displayed by individuals and the oragnization as a whole. It is important that an incoming employee at least approximate the character of the collective organization or a serious misfit will occur, bonding will not happen.
All organizations have personalities. A first step in locating a good fit is to recognize the personality in your corporation. Whether Blue chip or garden variety, an organization can have a personality that ranges from swashbuckling to homey.
The same highly talented individual who is successful in the traditional, conservative, team-playing organization would be disastrous in a high-flying, freewheeling atmosphere. It is commonly believed that when an individual fails, it is because he or she lacked professional skills. Frequently, however, the failure is linked to fit rather than skill base.
Once you know the personality of your organization, you can begin to figure out what you’re looking for in a candidate. You should apply these criteria to every interview:
- Operating style. Is it squeaky clean? Or does it swagger a bit? Is it traditional or avant-garde?
- Does the organization value individual performance or team play?
- Is the organization’s style loose or structured?
- How social is it?
- Does it take risks or is it cautious?
- How much value is placed on money—bottom line?
- Candidates give strong signals regarding their own set of fit factors during and interview. But because our needs may be great, or because during the interview we have come to like the candidate personally, we may tend to ignore those signs.
The candidate who talks about colleagues and describes past achievements in terms of group activities is undoubtedly a team player. Similarly, a display of stellar individual performance and descriptions of solo achievements will almost always indicate an independent performer. Outside activities are good indicators. Involvement in civic, charitable and family activities reveal a great deal about the candidate. Remember that the candidate’s tendencies are neither good nor bad. They merely fit your organization or they don’t.
Of course, there is no such thing as the perfect fit. If you happen to have an organization that is more like a happy family, you are undoubtedly involved in a small, tight-knit group. Adding an outsider to this group, no matter how good the fit, will forever alter the character of the organization. You will have some discord no matter how well you’ve screened.
Many companies perceive new employees to lack fit factors when what they lack is merely an education. New employees do not inherently understand or buy into the group characteristics, but most will learn to fit if properly coached. Although companies frequently believe that new employees should innately understand them, there are many aspects to an organization that are not readily apparent to an outsider. A sense of esprit de corps develops over time. Seeing the big picture and valuing the organization’s mission are not easily explained or acquired. An effort must be made to introduce the organization to the candidate as well as permitting time for him or her to settle in.
Finally, there is no fail-safe method to assess a good long-term fit. But a careful appraisal of your company coupled with detailed explorations of the candidate’s personal traits will go a long way toward making good matches and keeping them.