Person right for the job but is the Person right for the Organization?

Team IIBP Anveshan, Business Psychology, Employee Selection, Organizational Culture, Organizational Development

Person job fit is a requirement is what most of the organizations look for when requiting but if we are looking at long term goals person-organization fit becomes an important aspect in the matrix

The most crucial question in P-O fit is how employees and organisations choose each other, why they continue to work together, and how compatibility affects that relationship. When organisations aim to maintain market share by attracting and retaining the best competent workers, fit is a critical concern in both economic hardship and fiscal health. There are some ways through which this can be achieved

  • While hiring

Understanding P-O fit that occurs beyond KSA (knowledge, skill, abilities) matching and how to provide potential candidates with a more flexible and comprehensive approach is critical throughout personnel selection procedures. Recruiters frequently use implicit P–O fit assessments to differentiate between qualified candidates by determining fit with the organization’s values or personality congruence. Recruiters’ judgments of fit, on the other hand, are frequently incorrect, and these false perceptions of fit are more predictive of hiring decisions than the real fit between an applicant and a company. Before an employee is employed, actual P–O fit metrics provide reliable information on the likelihood of turnover. It’s critical to establish values and culture as a hiring goal. After the organization’s values and culture are defined, it creates screening methods to help it discover who will fit in and screen out those who do not share these values.  (Kristoff-Brown et al., 2005). (Kristof-Brown et al., 2005)

Deliver a message or communication during the hiring and selecting of staff. Managers should pay attention to how precisely they communicate work unit and organisational principles from the beginning of the recruitment process to long-term employment. This should help recruit, hire, and retain people who share those values and are motivated by a company that promotes them. (Kristof-Brown et al., 2005)

  • Socialization

The process through which an organisation integrates new employees into the culture is known as socialisation. To be able to operate in an organisation, a person must absorb the organization’s principles, standards, and operational style such that they become ingrained in one’s mind. The employee must be able to sublimate primal urges and obtain fulfilment through task-related activities, as well as acquire and retain the ability to form and sustain strong identification with a leader and becomes a member of a group. Employees that feel like they belong to the company are more content, have a higher intention to stay and are more inclined to suggest their own. Socializing employees to increase P–O fit could potentially boost effectiveness.(Tepeci & Bartlett, 2002) Hence giving employees a chance to socialize beyond what the work demands can be helpful. This can be challenging given the current virtual set-up none the less small steps like starting the meeting with some informal chat can also mean an effort towards socialization

  • Taking some research proposed measures

Measure the “ideal” and “real” culture and values of your company. According to O fit study, there is an instrument proposed to quantify the roles of (1) organisational culture, (2) individual values, and (3) the fit between the two (person-organization (P–O)  and employees‟ ideal culture. Once actual and deal profiles can be defined, they can be compared to identify where there are differences and similarities. Managers that want to change their culture can take particular steps to obtain the desired profile (Tepeci & Bartlett, 2002).

  • Diversity and inclusion

Promote the organization’s diversity Employees are organised into several subgroups in practically every firm. Two main sets of circumstances determine the formation of groups. To begin, there are work-related issues (which is created by the organization) People sometimes form groups based on distinctions and similarities such as type of work, organisational status, and physical proximity to one another. However, the second group of non-job-related conditions (those relating to culture, ethnicity, socioeconomics, sex, and race) are predominantly influenced by an individual’s personal history.

Other good and bad repercussions of P–O fit can be seen not just at the individual level, but also at the group and organisational levels. Individual similarity, whether in terms of values, ambitions, or personality, aids understanding of one’s interpersonal context. Similar people are anticipated to act in similar ways, reducing role confusion and potentially improving group work performance. Too much resemblance, on the other hand, reduces the diversity of ideas and procedures required for effective decision-making in groups. This lack of diversity may also stifle the organisational flexibility required for survival. Employee diversity aids in the organization’s ability to respond to external market needs. (Verquer et al., 2003)

  • Working towards ideal organizational culture along with employees.

Concentrate on the culture of both the individual and the organisation. The value of the individual in developing and supporting the organisation’s culture, as well as the importance of the organisation’s culture in creating and supporting the individual, is emphasised throughout the transformation process. This method creates a sense of synergy and interdependence that ensures the success of both the person and the organisation. You must distinguish between the culture you desire for your firm and the culture you now have. So, if you haven’t gotten there yet, you’ll need to hire people that can assist you in getting there while also fitting into the current culture.

Lastly, exit interviews can also prove to be a very helpful source in understanding P-O fit. What were the expectations of employees and was there a role of value discrepancy between the employee and the organisation?

Bringing on people that are a good fit for your firm in terms of personality and organisational culture can have a lot of advantages. It begins with the selection process continues with continuous evaluation and efforts and concludes with a review of the findings.

References:

Kristof-Brown, A. L., Zimmerman, R. D., & Johnson, E. C. (2005). Consequences of individual’s fit at work: A meta-analysis of person-job, person-organization, person-group, and person-supervisor fit. Personnel Psychology, 58(2), 281–342. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6570.2005.00672.x

Tepeci, M., & Bartlett, A. (2002). The hospitality industry culture profile: A measure of individual values, organizational culture, and person-organization fit as predictors of job satisfaction and behavioral intentions. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 21, 151–170. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0278-4319(01)00035-4

Verquer, M., Beehr, T., & Wagner, S. (2003). A Meta-Analysis of the Relationships Between Person–Organization Fit and Work Attitudes. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 63, 473–489. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0001-8791(02)00036-2

About the author:

Ms. Aasiya Ghoghari

Pursuing MA in Industrial & Organizational Psychology S.N.D.T Women’s University, Mumbai.

Compassionate, Ambitious, and motivated individual, studying I.O psychology. skilled in research and academic writing. she is passionate about learning data-driven solution building for workplaces with an adaptable and responsive mindset. Has an interest in maximizing workplace wellbeing and mental health through systematic change.