Chapter - 4

Employee Orientation
 Employee Orientation
Employee orientation means introducing a
new employee or an existing employee, who
is currently transferred from one place to
another or promoted from one position to the
higher position, with the rules, regulations,
policies, work procedures, products or
services, with the existing employees and
with the organizational environment as a
whole.
 Outcomes of an Effective
Orientation
 Foster an understanding of the organizational
culture, its values, and its diversity
 Help the new employee make a successful
adjustment to the new job
 Help the new employee understand his/her role
and how he/she fits into the total organization
 Help the new employee achieve objectives and
shorten the learning curve
 Help the new employee develop a positive working
relationship by building a foundation of knowledge
about organizational mission, objectives, policies,
organization structure, and functions.
 Orientation Process
Before the Employee Arrives:
The new employee orientation process begins before the
employee comes to work. Planning ahead for new employee's
arrival will allow to spend productive time on that first day. So,
before the employee arrives the followings should be done:
 Notify everyone in the unit that a new person is starting and
what the person's job will be. Asking the other staff
members to welcome the new employee and encourage their
support.
 Prepare interesting tasks for the employee's first day.
 Make a copy of the job description card, job vacancy listing
(JVL), job performance standards, organizational chart, and
concerned department's organization chart.
 Enroll the employee in the New Employee Orientation class
through the Employee Development & Training Unit in
Human Resources.
 Make sure the employee's work location is available, clean,
and organized.
 Orientation Process
Continued……………
 Make sure a copy of the appropriate personnel
policy manual or contract is available for the
employee.
 Have a benefits information package available.
 If possible, identify a staff member to act as a
buddy for the first week.
 Put together a list of key people the employee
should meet and interview to get a broader
understanding of their roles
 Arrange for a building pass, parking pass, and IDs
if necessary.
 Draft a training plan for the new employee's first
few months.
 Orientation Process
Continued……………
After the arrival of the employee:
A new employee may be anxious about starting a new job. We
should try to create a comfortable environment and remember
not to overwhelm the new employee with too much information
on the first day. Orientation is a continuing process, so there will
be plenty of time to give the employee all the necessary
information. On the first day, we should:
 Give a warm welcome and try to reduce any nervousness the
new employee may feel.
 Discuss our plan for first day.
 Introduce the employee to other staff members.
 Arrange to have lunch with the new employee.
 Show the new employee around the office.
 Review the job description card and organizational charts
with the employee.
 Explain ride-sharing and transportation services.
 Orientation Process
Continued……………
 Review telephone, fax, e-mail, and Internet use.
 Give the employee the New Employee Benefits Packet.
Be sure to discuss any questions or refer the employee
to your Department Benefits Counselor. Remind the
employee to fill out and submit benefits forms on time
(see Chapter 19, Benefits).
 Explain that organizational policy and collective
bargaining agreements call for most new employees to
complete a probationary period before they become
regular status employees. Discuss what the
probationary period is all about and explain how and
when the employee's performance will be appraised
during the probationary period.
 Have the new employee complete all the necessary
personnel forms.
 Socialization

Socialization, or “on boarding” is a process of

adaptation to a new work role

• adjustments must be made whenever individuals

change jobs

• the most profound adjustment occurs when an

individual first enters an organization, i.e., outside to
inside
Assumptions of Employee Socialization

There are some assumptions about employee

socialization. These are as follows:
 Socialization strongly influences employee
performance and organizational stability.
 Organizational stability is also increased through
socialization.
 Socialization neutralize the initial anxiety of the new
employees as new employee suffer from anxiety.
 Socialization does not occur in a vacuum.
 The Socialization Process
Outcomes

Productivity

Prearrival Encounter Metamorphosis Commitment

Turnover
 Employee Socialization Process
Socialization can be conceptualized as a process made
up of three stages:

Prearrival Stage: The prearrival stage explicitly

recognizes that each individual arrives with a set of
organizational values, attitudes and expectations.

Encounter Stage: In the second stage the employees

used to see the reality. In this stage individuals
confront dichotomy between their organizational
expectations and reality.

Metamorphosis Stage: At this stage the new

member must work out any problems discovered during
the encounter stage.