Person–Environment Fit

Person–environment (P-E) fit refers to the degree of compatibility between individuals and some aspect of their work environment. The concept of P-E fit is firmly rooted in the tradition of Kurt Lewin’s maxim that B = f(P,E), behavior is a function of person and environment. The early interactional psychologists emphasized Lewin’s perspective, advocating that individuals’ behaviors and attitudes are determined jointly by personal and environmental conditions. On the person side, characteristics include a wide variety of individual differences: interests; preferences; knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs); personality traits; working styles; values; and goals. On the environment side, characteristics similarly vary: vocational norms, job demands, job characteristics, organizational cultures and climates, team members’ personalities, and company or group goals. Various synonyms have been used to describe fit, ...