Written by Stella H. Kim
Published October 17, 2024
Culture Fit Focuses on the Past; Culture Add Invests in the Future
The 9 HRCap STAR Transformational Leadership Traits Checklist
Since the COVID-19 pandemic and the Great Resignation era, a rising number of employees have resigned for various reasons. Some left to pursue greater Work-Life Balance or Work-Life Integration as remote work became more commonplace, while others leveraged stronger market opportunities to seek better benefits and working environments. Above all, their biggest reason for wanting change was “lack of fit” with the company.
As a result, companies have begun to look beyond pedigree and professional experiences to better assess candidates’ core values and preferences to attract and retain them long-term. Even candidates with strong resumes and relevant success at their prior engagements can still face significant challenges if their values do not align with the corporate culture, so organizations have shifted to identifying and hiring talent aligned with corporate values for greater collaboration and higher performance. The belief here is that those with culture fit would have higher engagement and job satisfaction, thereby increasing organizational efficiency and contributing to the company’s visions and goals. While hiring previously focused on identifying candidates who were best fit for the job, it has shifted to now making better-informed talent investment decisions by screening candidates who were culturally fit with the organization.
The 2024 hiring trend in South Korea was also “Culture Fit,” with more and more South Korean companies starting to incorporate candidates’ culture fit into the hiring process. However, leading organizations in the United States have already been focused on Culture Fit since 2021 and have advanced to understanding and committing to “Culture Add.”
As critical as Culture Fit may be in identifying high-performing employees who may be aligned with the corporate values long term, candidates in interview stages may be inclined to better sell themselves with an ideal model answer to prove their fit rather than voicing their honest preferences and values. As a result, many experience friction on the job and resign because they do not fit into the corporate culture. Additionally, focusing on an already established and proclaimed culture fit does not allow organizations to continuously adapt and evolve to be more innovative and diverse.
Startups that strive for evolution and tech companies that thrive on transformation tend to focus more on value add than fit. These organizations that believe in Culture Add know how to prioritize candidates who can bring in fresh perspectives, skills, and energy that can support while meaningfully influencing their business goals and corporate brand identity. In other words, while Culture Fit focuses on the past, Culture Add invests in the future.
HRCap, a Top 10 Global Executive Search & HR Consulting firm, has committed to transforming our client’s corporate culture through strategic recruitment and leadership development training, especially in the past 3 years. We have partnered with client organizations to rebrand and design a future-oriented corporate culture, especially by identifying and placing executive candidates who embody our 9 HRCap STAR Transformational Leadership Traits. The 9 traits of the best fit and value-adding transformational leaders are:
Humble Charisma – Virtue of modest yet confident influence
Risk Assessment – Tolerance for identifying and taking measured risks
Communication – Mastery in effectively conveying thoughts and feelings
Active Listening – Empathy for differences, willingness to be open to new ideas
Persuasiveness – Competence in convincing, motivating, and inspiring others
Self-Awareness – Knowing oneself and continuously growing to adapt
Team-Oriented – Focus on bringing people together, delegating, and empowering teams
Accountability – Ability to step up with responsibility and ownership
Resilience – Grit and patience to transform and lead change
As more companies begin to invest in transformational leaders who can help evolve their corporate culture and drive significant business success, we all need to build greater self-awareness and personal brand to offer meaningful value-add to our teams, the organization, and the greater industry. By continuously upskilling and sharpening the 9 HRCap STAR Transformational Leadership traits, we will soon find ourselves evolving into an indispensable and empowering leader who is not only fit for but also advances the modern workforce.
Stella H. Kim, SPHR
HRCap – SVP, Head of Americas & Chief Marketing Officer
Comments