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Going back to the topic at hand, I am a little uncomfortable NOT being able to take into account someone's beliefs (and therefore values) when making a decision

Going back to the topic at hand, I am a little uncomfortable NOT being able to take into account someone's beliefs (and therefore values) when making a decision to employ them. Difficult to make the point without going to extremes, but the bottom line is that I believe organizations have (and should continue to have ) the right to direct their culture. If someone isnt a "cultural" fit because they believe in things that would aleniate them from their peers and clients, and therefore contribute to an unproductive work environment, why is it a bad to disqualify them on those grounds? I get the slippery slope of discrimination but that's not what this is about. I'm talking about the slippery slope of not allowing someone to making a hiring decision on the grounds that the way people live their lives and their values affect their ability to be productive members of your organization. Interested to hear what you guys think.

GrooveStomp 16y ago
I agree with you. I was laid off from my last company because I didn't like the direction of the company and wasn't happy with the work. At the same time, profits were down and the company needed to downsize. I still got all of my work done and was by any measure a successful, participatory employee, but my personal direction didn't mesh well with the direction and culture of the company. It seems reasonable to me.
mseebach 16y ago
It's indeed very slippery, and it's the exact same arguments that have been used to keep blacks, gays and women out back in the day, and once they were in, keeping them from advancing on the career ladder. Unless someone has personal beliefs that are entirely orthogonal to their work, those beliefs are none of your business.
- noblethrasher 16y ago
  I get what you're saying, but I have a nitpick: Wouldn't you want someone's personal beliefs to be orthogonal to their work since it would imply that those beliefs don't affect the work?

GrooveStomp 16y ago

I agree with you. I was laid off from my last company because I didn't like the direction of the company and wasn't happy with the work. At the same time, profits were down and the company needed to downsize. I still got all of my work done and was by any measure a successful, participatory employee, but my personal direction didn't mesh well with the direction and culture of the company. It seems reasonable to me.

mseebach 16y ago

It's indeed very slippery, and it's the exact same arguments that have been used to keep blacks, gays and women out back in the day, and once they were in, keeping them from advancing on the career ladder. Unless someone has personal beliefs that are entirely orthogonal to their work, those beliefs are none of your business.

noblethrasher 16y ago
I get what you're saying, but I have a nitpick: Wouldn't you want someone's personal beliefs to be orthogonal to their work since it would imply that those beliefs don't affect the work?