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Identifying Poor Culture Fit in Your Workforce


A unique culture exists in every organisation. After all, no other business shares the exact mix of environment, people, policies, practices, services and values of another organisation.


The culture of your business is the sum of its parts and it’s accepted by 94% of execs and 88% of employees that an effective culture is an essential part of business success.

Cultural fit – it matters


Capturing the hearts and minds of your employees is important:

Over the space of seven years, companies with highly engaged workers grew their revenues by 2.5 times as much as organisations with low levels of engagement. – Bain & Company


Happy employees are 12% more productive. – University of Warwick


Businesses with high employee engagement see reductions in absenteeism, employee turnover and an increase in productivity. – Gallup


Highly engaged workforces can drive increases in customer ratings/experience and a significant increase in sales. - Gallup


Culture & values are the biggest drivers of employee satisfaction, trumping compensation packages and career opportunities. - Glassdoor


And nearly half of job seekers rate it as important


A 2018 Glassdoor study in America found that 48% of employees cited an organisation’s culture as important in attracting them to a new job, while 37% cited culture as a deciding factor.

How you can identify poor cultural fit in your workforce


So, we know a happy, engaged workforce can drive the success of your business, and misaligned hires and cultural misfits can have the opposite effect.

It’s important to remember though that identifying a good culture fit doesn’t mean simply finding people with the right skills and experience who you would enjoy socialising with.

Rather, identifying culture fit is about identifying an individual with the skills and experience necessary, who genuinely shares the beliefs, values and mission of the business. Here are a few ways to identify poor cultural fit in your workplace:

Actions speak louder than words


It’s very easy for an employee to nod and agree when asked if they agree with the values, mission and direction of the business, or if they agree with the beliefs/approach of the senior leaders of the business. The decisions employees make and the level of independence with which they act gives a truer indication of how well aligned they are with the culture of your business.

Are they present?


Engaged employees are less likely to be absent from work. Therefore, it makes sense that employees with higher rates of absenteeism may be more likely to be disengaged.


Are they performing?


Performance is, of course, always an important factor to consider. Consistent underperformance can also be a good indication of a colleague who does not identify with or share in the culture of your organisation.

That said, underperformance may also be an indication of a need for further support or training, so it’s important to take a considerate, documented and appropriate approach to underperformance in the workplace.

Do they have a toxic influence?


Do you find yourself noticing the same employees regularly contributing in a negative way, or bring down the enthusiasm or happiness of their colleagues?

If so, the usual culprits are unlikely to be truly on board with the beliefs and direction of your business.

Bad culture = bad business


Poor workplace culture will directly impact the performance of your business and each addition of the wrong people and personalities will take your culture further from where you want it to be.

People who do not connect with your mission and align with your cultures might never truly belong and excel in your business, so it’s vital that you take the time to identify culture fit before adding a new member to your team.

Do you want to hire with a focus on identifying talented individuals who seamlessly align with your culture and values? We can help. Get in touch today to find out how.

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