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Philippa White and Sally A Carless
What does organisational fit mean to recruiters? The use of person-
organisation fit in selection processes
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Overview
Organisational fit in selectionResearchers disagree about whether it is legitimate to hire job applicants on the basis of good organisational fit
Selection systems should be designed to maximize the fit between new hires and organizations (Gregarus & Diefendorff, 2009)
Issues of fit… remain a topic for research rather than operational use in selection (Sackett & Lievens, 2008)
Very little is known about the use of organisational fit assessments in actual selection settings (Sackett & Lievens, 2008)
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Overview
Purpose of this study
To explore recruiters’ use of organisational fit in selection processes in order to identify useful directions for further research
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Overview
Research QuestionsWhat do recruiters mean when they talk about organisational fit?
What practices do recruiters use to assess organisational fit?
What are recruiters’ perspectives on the consequences of hiring individuals with good or poor fit?
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The Study
Participants (n = 17)From 10 public sector agencies, 1 private sector firm and 1 recruiting consultancyInvolved in making personnel selection decisions
Interviews30 minutesFollowed a semi-structured formatWere tape-recorded and transcribed
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The Study
AnalysisTranscripts were examined to identify relevant text segments
Text segments were coded to identify basic themes
Analysis focused on the range of themes raised by recruiters, rather than on the number of recruiters who raised each theme
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Findings
Research TopicsDefinition of Organisational FitAssessment of Organisational FitConsequences of Organisational Fit
Presentation of FindingsBackgroundSpecific research questionsFindingsKey messages and implications
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Definition of Organisational Fit
Background
Person-organisation fitAn ‘elusive’ concept Defined as the compatibility between people and organisations (Kristof, 1996)Differentiated from:
Other fit constructs (person-vocation fit, person-group fit, person-job fit)Universally positive attributes
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Definition of Organisational Fit
Specific Research Questions
How often do recruiters define organisational fit as the compatibility between the applicant and the organisation?
What distinctions do recruiters make between organisational fit and other concepts that are relevant to selection?
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Definition of Organisational Fit
Findings
Recruiters use multiple conceptualisations of organisational fit:
Compatibility between individuals and organisationValuesGoals
Concepts other than compatibility between individuals and organisations
Person-team fitPerson-job fit
Abilities
General positive attitude
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Definition of Organisational Fit
Findings
Recruiters differentiate between organisational fit at selection and:
Technical skills
Similarity with others in the organisation
Organisational fit after a period as an employee
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Definition of Organisational Fit
Key MessagesOrganisational fit is defined in multiple ways by recruitersRecruiters distinguish between organisational fit and other constructs
Implications for practiceRecruiters should ensure that the specific definition of organisational fit used in any particular process is clearly understood by all involved
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Definition of Organisational Fit
Directions for further researchDo different ways of defining fit have meaningful impacts on outcomes?How is organisational fit different to other constructs used in selection?
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Assessment of Organisational Fit
Background
Practice of using organisational fit in selection is controversial
Different areas of research have a different emphasis on approaches to assessing fit
Studies on recruiters’ perceptions of fit focus on the interview
Other person-organisation fit studies focus on value questionnaires
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Assessment of Organisational Fit
Specific Research Questions
Do recruiters incorporate organisational fit assessments into selection decisions?
What practices are recruiters using to assess organisational fit?
What practices are recruiters using to reach conclusions about organisational fit?
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Assessment of Organisational Fit
Findings
Most recruiters reported that organisational fit was factored into selection decisions in some way
Assessment techniques:
Most recruiters use the interview to assess organisational fit
Questionnaires were used infrequently
A range of other techniques were also mentioned less frequently: work sample tests, referees, résumés andgeneral social interaction
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Assessment of Organisational Fit
Findings
Drawing conclusions about fit:
Few reports of applying systematic processes to assess organisational fit
Some reported that ‘gut feel’ impressions were used
Some noted that assessment of fit was idiosyncratic to particular recruiters
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Assessment of Organisational Fit
Key MessagesRecruiters use organisational fit assessments in selection decisionsRecruiters use the interview as the primary method of assessing fitFit decisions are often made based on ‘gut feel’ or subjective impressions
Implications for practiceIf organisational fit is assessed, recruiters should focus on using more systematic techniques to reach conclusions about fit
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Assessment of Organisational Fit
Directions for further research
Clarification of the conditions under which it would be appropriate to use organisational fit in selection
Further guidance on appropriate ways to assess organisational fit in selection processes
Further investigation the outcomes of organisational fit assessments made at interview
Further investigation the antecedents and outcomes of ‘gut feel’ fit assessments
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Consequences of Organisational Fit
Background
Disagreement about whether good organisational fit is universally desirable
Main focus in the research to date has been on the relationship between fit and:
Work attitudes (job satisfaction, organisational commitment)
Turnover
Performance
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Consequences of Organisational Fit
Specific Research Question
What do recruiters see as the consequences of good or poor fit?
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Consequences of Organisational Fit
FindingsPoor fit was seen to be associated with negative outcomes:
Work attitudes
Turnover
Performance
Some recruiters noted that poor fit can be positive if it leads to the introduction of new ideas or change
Relationships with those in contact with the individualMorale in the work teamWorkload of others in the teamOverall reputation of the teamTime and effort required to manage the individual
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Consequences of Organisational Fit
Key MessagesRecruiters place an emphasis on the interpersonal consequences of poor organisational fitPoor organisational fit is seen as positive when it is associated with change or the introduction of new ideas
Directions for further researchFurther investigation into the relationship between organisational fit and interpersonal outcomesFurther investigation into the conditions under which poor organisational fit can result in positive outcomes
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Conclusion
This study has:
Addressed a need to find out more about how organisational fit is applied in actual selection processes
Identified a number of promising areas for further research
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