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How to assess for culture add

Hiring for culture fit may sound thoughtful in theory, but it can lead to teams that all look and think alike. Hear how to avoid affinity bias and identify candidates that bring a new perspective.

Culture fit vs. culture add – what’s the difference?

No matter what you call it, hiring people who contribute to your culture means seeking those who align with your company’s mission and values.

Is it better to hire someone who’s a perfect match for your culture, or someone who can make it better? LinkedIn’s Brendan Browne sits down with Airbnb’s Lilian Tham, Newell Brands’ Deanna Fleming, and Grand Rounds’ Nick Gorski to discuss the benefits of hiring candidates who bring diverse perspectives.

Meet the experts

Increased likelihood of inclusive companies being innovation leaders in their market

Average amount that diverse companies outperform industry norms

Interview questions to assess for culture add

Question 1

How do your colleagues benefit from working with you specifically, as opposed to one of your coworkers?

What to listen for

Recognition of what they can offer, while being perceptive about the ways their unique skills, background, or mindset can be beneficial in the workplace
Specific examples of how they helped someone do their job better – for example, offering input that helped a coworker improve upon a project or avoid a costly mistake

What this question assesses

Ability to grasp their potential to contribute something different and valuable to the team
Willingness to share their strengths to lift up the people around them

Question 2

Tell me about a time when understanding someone else’s perspective helped you accomplish a task or resolve an issue.

What to listen for

Mindfulness in viewing things through a different lens and applying what they’ve learned to make their own work better
A non-dismissive process for understanding and assessing different viewpoints and comparing them with their own

What this question assesses

Appreciation for diversity of thought, which can indicate their ability to challenge the status quo
Capacity for empathy and understanding others’ perspectives, rather than having absolute, unshakable viewpoints

Question 3

What is your impression of our company’s culture, values, and mission? How do you think we could improve?

What to listen for

Identifying opportunities for growth and change, plus an actionable idea of how to make things better
Alignment between their reflections, what the company conveys, and fresh observations

What this question assesses

Candor toward bringing about positive change, rather than assimilating and striving to fit in perfectly
Preparedness for the interview and knowing how your company aligns (or doesn’t align) with their own values

Get the checklist to help assess for culture add

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Additional resources

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Featured speakers

Brendan Browne
VP of Global Talent Acquisition

Brendan Browne leads recruiting for LinkedIn. Prior to joining LinkedIn, he led recruiting and HR at Microsoft, Northwest Mutual, and Sapient. A 15-year industry veteran, Brendan is passionate about nurturing high performing, healthy, scaleable companies.

Lilian Tham
Head of Global Executive Search

Lilian Tham drives executive hiring at Airbnb, where she’s excited to help steer the company through their IPO and post-IPO growth. Lilian previously led executive hiring for Google and Howard Fischer Associates, and managed marketing at American Express.

Nick Gorski
Engineering Manager

Nick Gorski leads data engineering at Grand Rounds. Previously, he was an engineering manager at Twitter and a software engineer at TellApart, which Twitter acquired in 2015. Nick specializes in data platforms, machine learning, and distributed computing.

Deanna Fleming
Head of Global Sales and Business Development

Deanna Fleming leads the sales organization at Newell Brands Technical Apparel (NBTA). Prior to joining NBTA, she was the vice president of marketing and innovation at Harmless Harvest, where she managed the company’s expansive growth.