Cultural fit: How the organization works
An important aspect in cultural fit from my perspective is how an organization works. There are a wide variety of factors at play here. Looking into these factors will give you a sense of whether the prospective hire will be suitable for the organization in general.
I like to consider the following factors:
How are decisions made? Is it bureaucratic, heavy with committees and documentation for approvals? Or is it a little more fluid and rapid? Some people are happy with structure and bureaucracy, while others will rapidly get sick of it.
Is there a flat structure, or is it very hierarchical? Personally, I like some form of hierarchy in my teams and organizations. I’ve found that exceedingly flat structures can encourage power struggles or overly collaborative processes. Whatever your organization has, you need someone who fits with that.
Is it a serious, or relaxed environment? Do people dress and act casually, or is it a more strict business environment? Often you’ll get a mixture in different situations, but it’s worth understanding the context your candidate prefers. Some people don’t need work to be “fun”.
Cultural fit: The context of the role
What is even more important is establishing the context of the role with the candidate. This is more than the role itself, it is the environment within which the person will need to operate.
Some examples to consider are:
Is it a rapidly changing environment, or is it steady? If your team or organization is working in an environment of rapid change, candidates need to know this. Although change is challenging, some people thrive on it, seeing opportunity. Others hate change and would rather a team is mature and steady so they can get on with their work.