61% of Top 500 Companies Assess 'Organizational Culture Fit' During Hiring

Results of the Corporate Recruitment Trend Survey for the Second Half of Last Year
Culture Fit Checked Through Aptitude Tests (64%) and Other Methods

It was found that 61% of the top 500 companies by sales examine the fit between applicants and organizational culture during the talent selection process. Advice has been given to gather various information about the company you want to join, explore the company's talent profile and organizational culture, and prepare for the recruitment process accordingly.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Korea Employment Information Service announced the results of the "2024 Second Half Corporate Recruitment Trend Survey" on the 16th. This survey was conducted from November 26 to December 24 last year, targeting HR managers of the top 500 companies by sales to examine recruitment trends.

The survey results showed that 61% of 387 companies checked culture fit, which assesses the compatibility between applicants and organizational culture during the selection process. Culture fit is a compound word of Culture and Fit, meaning 'cultural compatibility.' It is a concept that evaluates how well an individual's values and behavior align with the organizational culture.

Since empathizing with the company's direction and matching work styles lead to good teamwork and long-term retention, the importance of culture fit has been increasing recently, separate from job performance ability. In fact, companies expect through culture fit confirmation 'quick adaptation to the organization and work' (69.5%), 'improved collaboration with existing members (reduced conflicts)' (49.2%), and 'reduced turnover rate' (27.1%).

The stages at which culture fit is evaluated were 57.6% at the first interview, 39.6% at the final interview, and 32.6% at the document screening stage. Additionally, 14% of companies operate a separate culture fit evaluation stage. For example, Naver conducts a 'corporate cultural fit' review during the document screening stage, LG Energy Solution operates a separate 'culture fit screening' stage, and CJ conducts separate tests either between document screening and the first interview or after the first interview depending on the affiliate.

As for methods of evaluating culture fit, many companies used aptitude tests (64.0%). Some also used practical interviews (56.8%), self-introduction letters (46.2%), and executive interviews (41.5%). Specifically, questions about conflict resolution methods, team project experiences, and how applicants adapt to changes in the work environment were asked to verify whether the applicant fits the company's desired talent profile.

82.2% of responding companies said that since introducing culture fit evaluations, the speed of organizational adaptation has increased. Some companies also reported improvements in 'quality of collaboration' (70.8%) and 'organizational commitment' (69.5%). Additionally, 53% said that the number of new employees leaving due to difficulties adapting to organizational culture has decreased.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor explained, "Since companies positively evaluate culture fit confirmation, job seekers need to gather information about the companies they want to join in various ways, explore the company's talent profile and organizational culture, and prepare for recruitment processes accordingly."

Lee Jeong-han, Director of Employment Policy at the Ministry of Employment and Labor, said, "Placing the right talent in the right place through a fair process is a crucial factor determining the success or failure of any organization. In fierce competition, companies are moving quickly to hire talent that fits their organization and deploy them immediately to practical work."

He added, "We will provide one-on-one customized services so that young people can prepare for employment according to the talent profiles companies want, and support fair recruitment culture through recruitment management solutions. We hope you will experience various programs to support the growth of companies and youth at the '2025 Korea Job Fair' held from the 19th to the 20th."