Culture Fit vs Culture Add: How to Find the Right Balance

Introduction

In the ever competitive talent market, where the best candidates can take companies to heights of success one thing is standing out and that is work culture. When you hire, do you focus on people who can conform to your corporate culture or those that can be innovative and make it better than it was?

In a study conducted by McKinsey, organizations that hire externally have been more profitable than their counterparts. What that shows is that there is actual benefit to hiring people from who think out of the box and challenge the status quo. 

However, on the flip side organizations say that success comes from a culture they have already built and new talent should conform to it for their personal success as well as that as of the company. That lead to the start of the debate Culture Add vs Culture Fit. 

So without further ado, let’s start by understanding what these terms are and what they represent. We will also look at how their implementation can affect your recruitment process best practices and why should consider a hybrid or balanced approach when hiring for company culture.

What Is Culture Fit?

If we take a text book definition of culture fit, it would represent recruitment of people who already have a mindset and actions that is similar to behaviors, values and work styles. It’s the “will they blend in?” approach. And while it’s helpful for team cohesion, it can quickly slide into hiring the same type of person again and again.

The risk? You might build a team that agrees on everything—and innovates on nothing.

When Culture Fit Works:

• You’re scaling a team with a proven process

• You need stability or low turnover

• The role demands close collaboration and predictable communication styles

But in today’s environment, culture fit alone can create hiring blind spots, especially if it becomes a euphemism for bias or “hiring people like us.”

What Is Culture Add?

Culture add is a mindset shift and the beginnings of a more innovative and diverse corporate culture. In this model, organizations actively look to bring in creative individuals from diverse backgrounds. The expectation and goal behind it being what new perspective or value can they bring to the business.

Candidates who are a culture add may challenge how your team thinks, spot opportunities you’ve missed, and help you connect with new audiences or ideas.

When Culture Add Matters Most:

• You want to drive innovation

• You’re building inclusive teams

• You’re solving complex, cross-functional problems

• You need to strengthen your employee retention strategy by creating a more dynamic environment

Culture Fit vs Culture Add: Key Differences

Here’s a quick way to visualize it:

A team built solely on fit might work smoothly—but it may also struggle to evolve.

How to Balance Culture Fit and Culture Add

Keeping a balance between culture fit and culture add is the way to go. Using such an approach allows you to get people who will align with your core values and yet bring in a new perspective.

Some ways you can achieve this balance is by:

1. List Your Non-Negotiables (No compromise factors)

List your company’s values and behaviors that are essential. These form the cultural baseline for every candidate.

For example, aspects such as being customer-centric, lead by example, transparency and others.

2. Look at Things That You Need or are Missing

Look at your current team. Are you missing voices from certain backgrounds, industries, or schools of thought?

Culture Add can be thought of as being in sync with the times but also can be invaluable when you’re scaling.

3. Standardize Interview Questions

Avoid the vague “Would I want to grab a drink with them?” question. Instead, use structured prompts like:

• “Tell me about a time you disagreed with a team decision—what happened?”

• “How would you improve something you think we’re already doing well?”

This shifts focus to how a candidate challenges and collaborates, not just how likable they are.

4. Involve Diverse Interviewers

Bring in people from different departments or backgrounds to evaluate candidates. This strengthens your candidate experience.

Why Culture Add Is Gaining Ground

Several companies are now making culture add part of their employer branding.

LinkedIn Talent Solutions recommends prioritizing culture add to bring fresh perspectives and strengthen decision-making in hiring.

This doesn’t mean culture fit is dead. It just means fit should never overshadow value.

A practical example? Platforms like DigitalHire now let recruiters evaluate candidates through video resumes, offering insights into how someone communicates and thinks—beyond just their written resume or background.

Three Culture-First Hiring Tips for Modern Teams

Whether you’re a startup founder or talent lead, these tactics can help:

1. Score Candidates on Both Fit and Add

Create a hiring rubric with two columns:

• Culture Fit: Shared values, communication style

• Culture Add: Unique experiences, new ideas, complementary traits

Weigh both in your decision-making process.

2. Audit Your Hiring Funnel

Look at your last 10 hires. Are they all from similar educational or industry backgrounds? That could be a red flag.

Broaden your reach using alternative job boards, university pipelines, or even anonymous screening tools.

3. Train Managers to Spot Value, Not Just Comfort

Train your hiring managers to value difference. Comfort is often mistaken for compatibility. But challenge is where growth happens—for both people and organizations.

In Conclusion

Hiring for company culture isn’t about choosing between fit and add. It’s about understanding when to prioritize each—and why you need both.

Culture fit gives you alignment.
Culture add gives you evolution.

The best teams grow because of what each new person brings—not just how easily they blend in.

Let DigitalHire help you attract and assess candidates who’ll add value — not just blend in.