It's a common line in recruitment to say we recruit for culture, implying we're not just trying to get bums on seats, but also to do *something* more.

Which begs the questions - what do you mean by culture, how exactly do you define it, and is it a sufficient aim?

Culture is defined as the beliefs, attitude, characteristics and behaviours of the people employed by an organisation.

I think it's fair to say it is both how the employer embodies these in its people and how the people embody the same in their employer. The overlap between person and employment.

More than that, it's how the organisation behaves when no one is looking.

How often does an employer website's Values reflect what's really going on?

It is rarely a unilateral concept within any one business. Teams have their own microculture that can look very different to other teams. Some microcultures are dictated by an individual. Some microcultures are influenced by the addition of a new team member. Some peoples' individual cultures are influenced by the teams they join.

Some cultures are obliterated by the wrong toxic hires, so of course, it's a necessary requirement in recruitment.

Yet, some cultures are a group of 35-year-old white men, where to recruit for fit you are part of the problem.

While in adding to culture, you can solve problems you didn't know were there.

Some recruitments by culture fit lead to a jolly team who all stand saluting proudly as the ship sinks. But the *team* was a good one.

What happens when culture fit was right, but no one sticks around to enjoy it?

It's a suitable criterion but it isn't sufficient.

How can you recruit for culture unless you challenge an employer with probing questions, find their blind spots, while finding a balance with sufficient competence and your long term goals?

It always comes back to the questions asked around the shape of the organisation, scope of role, short/medium/long term challenges, organisational mindset (growth/change/efficiency/etc mode), mission, vision and values. What good looks like in your teams, how they mesh, where they fall short, the things you might do differently.

All of the things that form the context of your recruitment.

Asking questions around employer context implicitly includes the culture the right new hire will enhance, while considering the other elements you need to achieve.

Sometimes that context isn't important, such as in a transactional process, but to know that you need to assess it first.

And it takes less nouse to say you'll just recruit for culture, with your bean bag chairs, beer fridge and early finish Fridays.