Company Culture: Origins, Evolution, and the Need for Flexibility
In today’s workplace, company culture has become a defining force—often treated as an entity to be cultivated, protected, and at times, even revered. But before it became a buzzword etched into corporate mission statements and recruitment campaigns, “company culture” had a far humbler—and more anthropological—beginning.
The Origins of Company Culture
The concept of company culture began taking shape in the late 20th century, with the term gaining popularity in the 1980s. Management theorists and organizational behaviorists began studying what made certain companies more innovative, resilient, or employee-friendly than others.
Books such as "Corporate Cultures: The Rites and Rituals of Corporate Life" by Deal and Kennedy (1982) and "In Search of Excellence" by Peters and Waterman (1982) introduced the idea that businesses—much like nations or families—develop their own shared beliefs, values, norms, and behaviors over time. These early observations recognized that a company’s internal “personality” could shape its performance and adaptability in the marketplace.
Culture as a Compass—and a Filter
Fast forward to the present, and company culture is more than an academic theory. It is often treated as the guiding compass for hiring decisions, employee engagement strategies, and brand identity. Rightly so—it helps employees understand "how things are done here," promotes alignment, and can build a sense of shared purpose.
Culture also acts as a filter. During hiring processes, companies use it to assess whether a candidate will "fit in." This makes sense—after all, someone who thrives in a rigid, hierarchical organization may struggle in a flat, autonomous work environment.
But there is an important caveat: the over-prioritization of culture fit can lead organizations down a path where diversity of thought, experience, and personality is inadvertently sacrificed for the sake of internal harmony.
The real goal should be cultural contribution, not cultural assimilation.
Hiring Fairly: Diversity in the Culture Conversation
The subjectivity of “culture fit” highlights the importance of having a diverse hiring committee for every role. Diverse perspectives within the hiring process help prevent unconscious demographic biases—related to race, gender, marital status, disability, and more—from influencing selection decisions.
This is not just good practice; it aligns with federal employment law in the U.S., which prohibits discrimination based on protected characteristics. When hiring decisions are made by a homogenous group, there's an increased risk of candidates being filtered out not for lack of skill, but because they don’t “match the vibe.”
Including varied voices in the hiring process not only improves equity but also reinforces the organization’s commitment to a culture of inclusion and innovation (Peak Performers).
Integrating, Not Ejecting
Sometimes, a new hire may not seem like a perfect cultural fit. But rather than viewing this as a failure, leaders should see it as an opportunity. Ask: can we integrate this person into the culture rather than write them off?
Personality and cultural fluency evolve. Research shows that onboarding, mentorship, and open communication can go a long way toward helping someone feel aligned and engaged (Ambition In Motion, Forbes HR Council). The first step should not be to offboard someone who doesn’t “gel.” Let’s try to make it work.
After all, you didn’t hire them to round out a social club—you hired them to deliver value based on their skills, education, and experience.
Culture Is Not a Social Club
It’s tempting for leaders to think of culture as a social fabric—one where camaraderie, shared humor, or likability reign supreme. But that’s not the purpose of building a team. A company is not a club; it is a vehicle for executing strategy, serving customers, and delivering value through the unique contributions of its people.
Hiring someone solely because they “get along” with the team may neglect the very reason they were recruited. A team that is too culturally homogenous may become an echo chamber—comfortable, but not necessarily high-performing.
The Psychology of Change—and the Evolution of Culture
Recent psychological research indicates that personalities are not fixed. People grow, adapt, and change over time—especially in response to new environments or responsibilities. In that same way, company culture should not be static either.
A strong culture should have core values, but also flexibility—enough to allow individual personalities to emerge, challenge norms, and enrich the collective identity of the organization.
An Analogy from National Identity
Consider national identity. Take Italian culture as an example: it conjures a clear image—food, passion, family, artistry. Yet within Italian society are countless unique personalities, philosophies, and temperaments. Each individual may express themselves differently, but they are still inherently Italian.
Similarly, a company’s culture should provide cohesion—but not uniformity. Employees can be themselves while still embodying the essence of the organization.
Balancing Identity with Inclusion
For C-suite executives and senior leaders, this raises an essential call to action: define your culture clearly, but don’t wield it as a gatekeeping tool. Use it to inspire, align, and foster purpose—but also to invite diversity of thought and growth.
Ask:
Are we hiring people to challenge us, or to mirror us?
Are we creating room for personalities to grow, or asking people to shrink?
Is our culture a tool for strategic alignment—or a litmus test for social conformity?
In the race for talent, innovation, and sustainable success, the companies that will lead are not those who worship culture for its own sake—but those who evolve it, humanize it, and balance it with individual strength.
Sources
Deal, T. & Kennedy, A. (1982). Corporate Cultures: The Rites and Rituals of Corporate Life.
Peters, T. & Waterman, R. (1982). In Search of Excellence: Lessons from America's Best-Run Companies.
Peak Performers. Why Inclusive Hiring Matters: A Strategic Approach to Bias-Free Hiring
Forbes Human Resources Council. Seven Ways To Integrate New Hires And Make Them Feel Welcome From The First Day
Ambition In Motion. 7 Ways to Integrate New Hires into Company Culture
BMOC Group. How to Integrate New Employees Into Your Company Culture