Today’s Morning Buzz is by Jackie Wehmeyer, Senior Director of Strategy and Intergovernmental Affairs for the City of Parkland, Fla., and proud new member of ELGL’s Board of Directors. Connect with Jackie on LinkedIn.
- What I’m reading: High on Arrival by Mackenzie Phillips
- What I’m working on: Our new City Commissioner orientation presentation
- What I’m anticipating: My mug from my ELGL mug exchange match!
In my Human Resources career, I’ve had occasion where a supervisor told me they were having an issue with an employee who didn’t “fit.” Most times when I’ve asked why, the supervisors had a difficult time explaining it to me.
Seems like a straightforward question, but why is it tough to explain “fit?”
I’ve tasked supervisors with that question, not knowing if they really understood what they wanted from their employees, or if “fit” was used simply as an excuse. I’ve written about fit before, but just in the sense of cultural fit in an organization. That’s really only one piece of what fit means in the workplace, and in order to be fair to our employees, we should define that compatibility beyond the surface of an overall workplace culture. What does “fit” truly mean?
At its core, workplace fit refers to the alignment between an employee’s values, personality, and work style with those of the organization and its culture. It is the degree to which these elements resonate with one another, shaping how well an employee blends into a team and contributes to the organization’s objectives.
As I’ve said, cultural fit—where an employee shares the core values and beliefs of the organization—is not the only important factor, although it is vital. Team fit involves how well an employee meshes with their existing team members. Every team operates with its own dynamic, influenced by its members’ personalities. Communication styles, collaboration preferences, and conflict-resolution approaches should align.
Role fit is the alignment between an employee’s skills and the specific requirements of their role. Role fit ensures that the employee not only has the technical capabilities necessary but also the soft skills to thrive in that particular setting. For example, a highly analytical person might excel in data-driven tasks, but struggle in roles requiring high levels of emotional intelligence.
It is also crucial, however, for organizations to strike a balance between seeking fit and fostering diversity. While a strong cultural fit is important, organizations should also aim to include a variety of perspectives and backgrounds, so creativity and innovation are not stifled. Therefore, it’s vital to define what fit means in a way that embraces diversity.
What does questionable organizational fit look like? Some signs of misalignment might include:
Frequent conflicts with colleagues. A pattern of disagreements or interpersonal issues can indicate that an employee’s working style is inconsistent with the values of collaboration and respect.
Resistance to change. An employee who frequently resists new initiatives or policy changes may struggle to adapt to the evolving needs of local governance.
Defensive responses. Automatic responses to requests or constructive commentary that are protective and self-justifying may indicate pushback to an organization’s norms.
Low engagement. Employees who are disengaged from their work or indifferent to the organization’s mission may not share the essential values required to drive public service forward.
How can we ensure that as leaders, we don’t set up employees to misalign with our organization?
First, we need to determine and define our organizational and team cultures and agree upon what those are, even if they are difficult to describe.
Second, we must ask questions in interviews that give us information about how a potential hire will fit with our organization, their future team, and the role. Situational questions provide some insight into how a candidate’s past behavior may predict future behavior.
Third, if we feel that an employee is not fitting in, we need to have an open discussion about their fit using specific observations while listening to their perspective. A coaching plan, training, and mentoring can help, as well as reassessing their role and exploring other positions that better align with their skills and values.
Sometimes, despite doing everything we can to set our employees up for success and hiring with caution, an employee can simply just not fit. But by understanding what fit really is, and what it looks like in our organizations, it can help us build teams where our values align, while diversity of thought is encouraged, and employees can best serve our residents.