Stop Asking About Culture Fit — Start Looking for Culture Add

Many businesses still talk about “culture fit” like it’s the holy grail of hiring. But what if that mindset is holding you back? In this post, we explore the benefits of hiring people who challenge, expand, and enrich your company culture rather than simply “fitting in.”

You know that moment in an interview when someone says, “I think they’ll be a great culture fit”?

It’s usually meant as a good thing. But more often than not, it’s shorthand for “They remind me of me.”

And that’s the problem.

Because if everyone in the room thinks, looks and works the same — you’re not building a culture. You’re building an echo chamber.

Culture Fit Isn’t Always the Flex You Think It Is

Hiring for culture fit was meant to protect your values. But in practice, it can become a hiring bias in disguise. It makes it easy to say no to someone who’s different. Not because they wouldn’t thrive, but because they wouldn’t blend.

That’s not culture. That’s comfort.

And while comfort is nice, it rarely leads to brilliance.

Let’s Talk About Culture Add

Hiring for ‘culture add‘ means choosing people who will stretch, challenge, and enrich your team — not just fit in with it.

It means spotting someone who brings something your team doesn’t yet have:

A different background
A fresh way of thinking
A new approach to problem-solving
Or simply, lived experience that will challenge your norms

It’s not always easy. But it’s always worth it.

Start by Changing the Questions

Instead of asking,

“Will they fit in with our team?”
Try:
“What might we learn from them?”
“How will they shift our culture for the better?”
“What space will they open up that didn’t exist before?”

Hiring someone who adds to your culture means hiring someone who may disagree with you. That’s exactly where the magic happens.

But Will They Still Align With Our Values?

Yes — and that’s the nuance.
Culture add doesn’t mean ignoring your company values. It means separating your values from your vibe.

You can still hire people who believe in your mission, share your integrity, and respect your ways of working — without expecting them to laugh at the same jokes.

So, How Do You Make the Shift?

Rewrite your job ads to celebrate difference, not sameness.
Train hiring managers to spot potential, not just polish.
Review your interview questions — are they leading to safe answers?
Make “culture add” a discussion point in your post-interview debriefs.

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📨 Email: claire@claireity.co.uk — you choose, I’m easy.

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