Moving from culture fit to culture add - recruiting a diverse workforce
New Zealand is a diverse country. It is a nation of indigenous people, families who have been in New Zealand for generations, and new migrants, and a country with a range of ethnicities, beliefs, and identities.
You’ve probably heard of hiring for cultural fit - the concept of hiring people not only for their hard skills but also for character traits that fit within your company culture. But have you thought about moving to a cultural add strategy? When you are recruiting with a “culture add” mindset, you aren’t looking to recruit more people who just reflect and fit in with your organisation currently; You still want them to fit in - you don’t want a clash of cultures - but beyond simple fit, you are looking to recruit people who will bring new ways of thinking and doing and help take your organisation to the next level.
Is your organisation taking advantage of the benefits that having a diverse workforce can bring?
Being open to recruiting from diverse backgrounds brings benefits including:
A wider candidate pool for your roles
A more rounded experience for all your employees
Increased creativity
Better problem solving
Making your organisation more representative of New Zealand in general which in turn can make it more responsive to a diverse customer base
Top tips for hiring from different backgrounds and making the most of your diverse team
Before you start, take a look at your organisation and think about where you could benefit from adding some new thinking or different skills or approaches. This can help you identify candidates who can add most to your team.
The recruitment process
Diverse recruiting starts with your job ad: Your job advert is the first opportunity to engage with people from diverse backgrounds. If your role requires specific experience or cultural skills, for example, knowledge of or language skills, then make this clear early on to ensure you get the right sort of applicants. If you are advertising a more general role but want to appeal to a more diverse candidate pool, then make sure the language and requirements of your advert are inclusive and have wide appeal. For example, soften the requirements for certain qualifications and promote experience as a suitable alternative.
Showcase why your organisation is great to work for: If you want to attract great people, you need to show why you are a great organisation to work for. So make sure your job ad also highlights additional perks that might appeal to people from different backgrounds, like extra employee support, flexible time off for significant dates outside the standard New Zealand holidays, or social team events.
Do your initial candidate sift without bias: When you are initially screening applications, ensure you are doing so against clear criteria and without introducing bias - either negative or positive - towards certain types of people. Remember, even if you are keen to diversify your workforce, it helps if the chosen candidate has the skills to do the job too.
Ensure the application and interview process works for people from diverse backgrounds: Consider whether your application and interview process works for people who have English as a second language, for example, or who might expect certain cultural norms to be adhered to. While there should be some compromise on the part of the candidate, too, it helps if you can be flexible.
Onboarding and beyond
Ensure your onboarding process follows through on the agreed contract: If you agreed on any special terms with your new employee during the recruitment process, ensure they are put in place early and both the employee and their team and manager understand them.
Be prepared for change: Bringing new people onto a team always brings some change, but bringing in people who might not be an exact match for your current team could present more challenges, both from the new recruit to your status quo and from existing staff. Ensure you have processes in place to deal with this and that you develop a culture of openness and a willingness to listen.
Give your team a chance to learn about each other’s cultures and beliefs: Team events that give employees the chance to explain more about their culture or beliefs can help to build connections. For example, if you have team members from several different countries, you could host a shared lunch where everyone brings a dish that represents their home country.
Consider booking diversity or cultural awareness training: If your organisation is just beginning to create more diversity in your workforce, then it can be a good idea to implement diversity training to help your employees run by an expert.
For organisations in the for-purpose sector, having a culturally diverse team can help to broaden your thinking and better connect with your audience, especially if you work in a sector such as health, migrant services or social equality. So next time you are hiring, consider your applicant pool and the benefits of recruiting someone who stands out from the crowd a little.
