There should be a distinction between the values of a company and the cultural norms. The idea I've adopted is value-fit / culture-add. The values are non-nego

There should be a distinction between the values of a company and the cultural norms. The idea I've adopted is value-fit / culture-add. The values are non-negotiables. To take your example, for any company I work for or manage for, it must be a place where gay people--for example--are welcome and comfortable being themselves. Cultural norms are a different story. I want my hires to add to our company's pool of cultural perspectives. This means they may have behaviors that diverge from present norms. This can be disruptive, but I think it's a net win in over time. If accepting cultural diversity is a value, it doesn't eliminate disruption, but it certainly makes it less painful. To me, whether someone does or doesn't send a thank you note does not speak to the explicit or implicit values of any place I've been to. It's in pure norm space. And even then, it doesn't say much to me. I appreciate receiving thank-you notes on a human level, but it does nothing for me in making a hiring decision.