Culture fit and other business nonsense

Culture fit, a business cancer that needs to be cut out

You will hear my opinion on the following and feel free to comment if you disagree.

A definition for culture fit goes like "finding someone whose values, personality, and working style align with those of your organization". Something along those lines.

The culture fit originated between the 1970s-80s according to the WEB. According to the web " The original idea was that if companies hired individuals whose personalities and values – and not just their skills – meshed with an organization’s strategy, workers would feel more attached to their jobs, work harder and stay longer. " - Lauren Rivera

Now it seems like this is just another way of working around bad management. If you have to work harder and stay longer it means somebody messed up. Please do not lecture me on whether working longer will benefit anyone or that you will learn more. This only works if you are working for yourself or tons of money. The majority of people are not that lucky so no lectures.

Companies big and small, and especially startups. There are many many examples of empty promises, giving people ideas that they are working towards bigger goals.

It's all nonsense, you are paying for their time and knowledge! When you are young, and I mean first contacts with real work 12+ depending on the country of origin. You will pour yourself into work because you want a pat on the back. You do not have bills or future worries, nobody depends on you. The world is your oyster and that first paycheck or summer job is going to enable you to buy that new bicycle, lego set, barbie, or a new PC.

Fast forward to after college, or even after 5 years of working. You are in the job market and everyone is interviewing for new jobs. The companies are talking about the CULTURE FIT. Do you share our values? Because the knowledge and skills you accumulated up to this point are not enough. It's not enough that you are willing to sell 8 hours a day at least to the company for a paycheck. They need you to share the values as well.

McDonald's

• Let's take an example from the real world like McDonald's. Now everyone knows they can eat the same junk food in any part of the world. I am not saying McDonald's is bad, it's junk food. I admire the company because it accomplished a lot. They do not ask you to adore the company values.

• They have good management. You get there, you get trained to do a job and you can advance through the ranks. They enable you as an employee. They do not need the Culture fit. They understand it's a job, people need jobs, and they have jobs. It's almost like they cracked the code.

Ikea

• Another example is where branding and values go hand in hand. IKEA is a giant company. When you get started you learn about the "IKEA WAY". They of course sell you the Nordic dream, of everyone working in unison and getting a fair paycheck.

• Well, it's not actually like that when you start working. There is office politics which should be abolished by their values. There is office drama and nepotism. It's a regular company like any other. Since they do not have proper management, everyone works in their way. Their products are structured but their culture fit is just words.

Why do we need to get rid of culture fit and similar things?

It's the manager's role to hire. But somehow they delegate the job. They delegate the responsibility of attracting and vetting the possible candidates. Now imagine if you have your local auto service post a job. Instead of a mechanic an HR person comes for an interview to determine if you are good enough for the company.

HR writes the culture fit. When I broached the topic of culture, company mission, and vision to a few companies I worked at. It was always a jumbled mess. Because stakeholders start with a mission and a vision. It's quite clear. But when it gets diluted or too jumbled it tumbles down.

So who benefits from culture fit? Is it the companies? Is it the employees? Or is it simply HR and similar people ensuring their jobs stay relevant?

This goes to whoever writes the Culture fit policy at the company. Please understand, that there are people that like avoiding going home because of a ton of reasons. Some people love going home. They love their 8 hours a day ending after 8 hours. They love their life outside of the company.

The company is not your family, it will never be. Stop selling it as a friendly organization. You do not charge friends for favors (in most cases). The company should avoid the culture fit and instead focus on the JOB REQUIREMENTS!

Wow, such a novel idea. I know. I am a genius. The job that needs doing will dictate what kind of a person you need. Is it a jack of all trades or an ultra-specialized position? The job at hand is what you need. The person needs to be human, have basic communication skills, and needs to be able to work with others. In a case where the job requires the person to work solo, hire a person who does not work well with others.

I mean we are all people with different values, opinions, and perspectives. Stop trying to put people into your boxes and discarding them when they are not a perfect fit for your Culture fit. But they fit your job ad to the T.

Why do you think Twitter ran successfully when Elon sacked the workforce? Because he sacked the nonessential workers. The workers kept doing things that would validate their jobs. But there was no need for them.

Conclusion

In the end, we need to rethink the emphasis on culture fit in hiring and management practices. While having a coherent company culture is beneficial, it should not overshadow the primary goal of fulfilling job requirements with capable and skilled employees. A genuine, well-managed work environment can foster a positive culture without the need for forced alignment of personal values.

Companies should focus on effective management, clear communication, and respect for individual differences over the often nebulous concept of culture fit. This approach can lead to more practical, efficient, and humane workplaces.

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