cultural add

Definition

A hiring philosophy focusing on candidates who bring new perspectives and diversity rather than simply fitting existing culture. The enlightened evolution of 'culture fit' after everyone realized that just meant 'people like us.'

Example Usage

We're shifting from culture fit to culture add in our hiring to build a more diverse team instead of just cloning our existing bros.

Origin

Emerged in the late 2010s as a deliberate counter to culture fit concerns about homogeneity

Fun Fact

Salesforce popularized the term as part of their diversity initiatives, recognizing that 'culture fit' had become code for maintaining demographic uniformity.

Source: Modern diversity, equity, and inclusion practices

Related Terms

Beginner

competitive compensation package

A vague promise in job postings that usually means below-market salary plus benefits everyone else offers anyway. It's competitive only if you're comparing against companies actively trying to underpay people.

👥 Human Resources

Beginner

gig worker

An independent contractor or freelancer working on temporary, flexible arrangements rather than traditional employment. They enjoy freedom and flexibility but forfeit benefits, protections, and financial security—the great trade-off of the 21st century.

👥 Human Resources

Intermediate

change agent

An individual tasked with driving organizational transformation and getting people to embrace new processes. Usually the most hated person in the department until the change actually works.

👥 Human Resources

Beginner

Team Building

Mandatory fun activities designed to make coworkers bond through shared awkwardness. Options include escape rooms where you discover your boss can't solve puzzles, trust falls that reveal trust issues, and cooking classes where Karen from accounting reveals she's a tyrant.

👥 Human Resources

Beginner

employment contract

A legally binding agreement specifying terms of employment including duties, compensation, and termination conditions. Rare in the U.S. where at-will employment reigns, but standard elsewhere in the civilized world.

👥 Human Resources

Beginner

headcount freeze

A corporate proclamation that no new positions will be filled, typically announced right after three people quit and everyone else is drowning in work. It's management's way of saying 'do more with less' without actually saying it out loud.

👥 Human Resources

Translate This Term

See “cultural add” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.

Try the Translator

Share This Term

Post on X Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn

Discover a Term

Intermediate

periodized training

A systematic approach to organizing training into specific phases with different focuses, because randomly destroying yo...