Recruitment is often taught as a structured, objective process: shortlist based on skills, assess competencies, and appoint the best-qualified candidate.
But does the football team you support matter?
A recent UK employment tribunal ruling highlights how subjective factors - such as “team fit” and workplace harmony - can legitimately influence hiring decisions, even when they border on the culturally sensitive.
The tribunal confirmed that employers may lawfully reject a candidate if they believe the individual would disrupt office harmony. To illustrate the point, the judge offered a hypothetical but striking example: an employer would not be acting unlawfully by rejecting a Tottenham Hotspur season ticket holder if the existing team was dominated by Arsenal supporters. While tongue-in-cheek on the surface, the analogy underscores a serious principle - cultural alignment matters in hiring.
The Case at the Centre of the Ruling
The ruling arose from a claim brought by Maia Kalina, who was rejected for a role at Digitas, a digital marketing agency. Kalina argued that she had been discriminated against because she did not “vibe” with the interview panel in the same way as the successful candidate. She also cited her mental health struggles, explaining that depression made socialising difficult and that she did not enjoy pub culture or swearing—traits she felt were implicitly expected.
The tribunal heard that both shortlisted candidates were considered appointable and broadly evenly matched. Ultimately, Digitas chose the candidate they felt would integrate more easily into the existing team. The judge ruled that, in such circumstances, employers are entitled to consider team fit—provided the decision is taken carefully and does not cross into unlawful discrimination.
What Does “Office Harmony” Really Mean?
From a management perspective, “office harmony” refers to the smooth functioning of teams, effective collaboration, and the avoidance of unnecessary friction. Research in organisational behaviour consistently shows that interpersonal conflict can reduce productivity, increase staff turnover, and damage morale. Employers therefore have a legitimate business interest in maintaining a cohesive culture.
However, the concept is inherently subjective. What feels like a good “vibe” to one manager may feel exclusionary to another candidate. For business students, this raises an important tension between two priorities:
- Efficiency and performance: Teams that work well together often perform better.
- Fairness and inclusion: Over-emphasising cultural similarity risks creating homogenous teams and excluding talented individuals who simply behave differently.
The Legal Boundary: Fit vs Discrimination
The tribunal’s decision does not give employers carte blanche to hire only people who look, think, or behave the same. UK employment law still prohibits discrimination on protected characteristics such as disability, race, gender, religion, and age.
In this case, the judge concluded that Digitas had not rejected Kalina because of her depression or background, but because - when faced with two equally capable candidate - they preferred the one who appeared to fit more naturally with the team. Crucially, the judge warned that such assessments must be made “with caution”. Employers must be able to demonstrate that their decision was based on legitimate business considerations rather than stereotypes.
Interestingly, the judge also noted that Kalina herself relied on a stereotype of British workers as outgoing, pub-loving, and relaxed about swearing. This observation highlights how assumptions about workplace culture can be held by both employers and candidates and how dangerous those assumptions can be.
Implications for Employers
For managers and HR professionals, the ruling reinforces several practical lessons:
- Document decisions carefully: When candidates are closely matched, employers should clearly record why one was chosen over another.
- Define culture thoughtfully: Culture should be about values and behaviours that support performance—not superficial social habits.
- Train interviewers: Those involved in recruitment should understand unconscious bias and the legal risks of subjective judgments.
- Promote inclusive cultures: A strong culture does not require everyone to be the same; diversity of personality can strengthen teams.
What Business Students Should Take Away
As future managers, consultants, or entrepreneurs, business students should recognise that recruitment is rarely a purely technical exercise. Soft factors - communication style, collaboration, adaptability - often tip the balance when skills are equal. At the same time, ethical leadership requires awareness of how easily “fit” can slide into exclusion.
The key lesson is balance. Effective organisations hire for both competence and compatibility, while remaining open to difference. Football rivalries may make for an amusing analogy, but in the real world, the goal is not uniformity - it is performance through respectful, well-managed diversity.
