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It's crucial to distinguish between 'fit' and 'alignment' when making hiring and promotion decisions, but often organisations either conflate the two, or prioritise the wrong one, an organisational psychologist says.

Omio Group cofounder and leadership coach Eleni Atsalakis says human alignment is becoming a key differentiator in workplaces, as AI and automation take over more transactional tasks.

It's a concept that people tend to conflate with 'fit', she tells HR Daily, noting that fit usually also receives disproportionate attention.

"Fit is instinctive – whether someone feels right," Atsalakis explains.

Alignment, on the other hand, is far more precise. "It's how people think, communicate, prioritise and operate, day to day. And, importantly, it's something that can be assessed..."