286. The 'Cockroaches of HR', interview hacks and return-to-office Dilemmas. PLUS! Should you hire for culture fit?

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning workplace podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture. This week we’re deconstructing the "cockroaches of the employment world," exploring a new AI tool that helps you nail your next interview, and digging into the data to see if hiring for "culture fit" is actually a good idea.

🔥 Stories Covered

1. The $75 Lunch That Beats Any Exit Interview Headhunter Nick Corcodilos calls exit interviews the "cockroaches" of the employment world—they serve little purpose, yet they never die. Because departing employees often fear burning bridges, they give safe, generic answers.

• The Alternative: Wait six months after an employee leaves and invite them to a casual lunch.

• The Benefit: Time changes the dynamic. Former employees are more objective and willing to provide grounded feedback for the price of a meal.

• Source: Inc. Magazine - https://www.inc.com/suzanne-lucas/the-75-lunch-that-beats-any-exit-interview/91319277

2. Stop Guessing, Start Coaching: HowToJob & Interviewly Al explores HowToJob, an all-in-one platform built by HR veteran Milo Sevelj to help candidates navigate a brutal job market.

• Interviewly: A standout feature that generates role-specific interview questions and provides structured feedback on your recorded answers.

• The Impact: It moves beyond practicing in a mirror by giving candidates real-time data on what landed and what didn't.

• Connect with Milo Sevelj: https://www.linkedin.com/in/milosevelj/

3. The Power of Intergenerational Teams New research suggests that age diversity isn't just something to "manage"—it’s a competitive advantage.

• The Findings: Older workers feel more employable and capable when they regularly interact and share knowledge with younger colleagues.

• The Key: It’s not just about sitting next to each other; it’s about a two-way flow of experience and new skills.

• Source: Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology - https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/joop.70061?af=R

  
  

🧠 Truth or Lie: You Should Hire for Culture Fit Around 80% of employers prioritize "culture fit," but Leanne digs into the evidence to see if it actually predicts success.

• The Truth: Fit does predict job satisfaction (19%) and organizational commitment (26%).

• The Lie: It is one of the weakest predictors of actual job performance, accounting for less than 1% of the variance.

• The Verdict: "Culture fit" is often a subjective "airport test" that lets bias in the back door. Instead, look for "Culture Add."

  
  

💬 Workplace Surgery This week, we tackle three tough listener dilemmas:

• The Policy Trap: How do you enforce a 5-day return-to-office mandate when you don’t believe in it yourself?

• The Complicity Crisis: If your employer treats you well but treats others poorly, are you complicit by staying?

• Scaling Culture: How do you move from "being the culture" to building a culture that works without you as the team grows?

  
  

📬 Connect with Al & Leanne – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork – Al Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott – Leanne Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne – Email: hello@truthliesandwork.com – Book a call: https://savvycal.com/meetleanne/chat

Mental health support UK & ROI — Samaritans Call 116 123 or visit https://www.samaritans.org UK — Mind Call 0300 123 3393 or visit https://www.mind.org.uk US — Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Call or text 988 or visit https://988lifeline.org Australia — Lifeline Call 13 11 14 or visit https://www.lifeline.org.au Global helplines https://findahelpline.com

🎧 Truth, Lies & Work is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals. Listen to all the shows here: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork