Employee Orientation And Socialization
Chapter 6
Definition of Socialization & Orientation
Socialization
• Process by which an employee begins to adapt to the values,
norms, and beliefs of the organization and its members.
• Involves “learning to fit in”
• Learning what behaviors are expected, acceptable,
unacceptable
• The process of adjusting to a new organization.
• Socialization is also called “on-boarding”.
• Process of employees adapting to organization
• Long-term process, often informal
Orientation
• Orientation Program that informs new employees about their
job and company.
• Short-term, often formal
Why Orientation & Socialization?
― Starting a new job can be stressful.
― New comers are in an unfamiliar work environment –surrounded
by unknown people.
― New employees must establish
Relationships
And learn new behaviors
• facts
• Procedures
• Expectations
• And values.
― New employees can also expect surprises
― Not anticipating the emotional impact of greater responsibility
― Underestimating the difficulty of adjustment to a new work schedule.
― New employee may also need to “unlearn” things that---helped
them in previous settings (organizations).
Stages of Socialization Process
Stage 1: Pre-arrival stage/anticipatory socialization
– Individuals arrive/join the organization with a set of values,
attitudes and expectations –which they have developed from
previous experiences and the selection process.
– The period of learning – that—occurs before a new employee
joins the organization.
• Setting of realistic expectations
• Determining a match with newcomer
– This stage involves RJPS “Realistic Job Previews”.
– RJP giving employee realistic idea of:
• the positive and negative aspects of working for the
organization.
– RJP ---a balance of positive and negative information about the
job and work context.
Benefits of RJPs
Benefits of RJPs
– Fewer turnovers
– Higher job performance
– Less reality shock
– Vaccination effect –vaccination of expectations—coping
mechanisms developed for new job)
– Builds loyalty
– Forming psychological contract
Stages of Socialization Process
Stage 2: Encounter stage
– Formal commitment made to join the organization
– Breaking in (initiation into the job)
– Establishing relationships
– Roles clarified
• Individuals begins to discover what the organization is really like
– Exposed to the organization
– New comer
– Testing expectations
– Begins when individuals starts to work for the organization.
Stages of Socialization Process
Stage 3: Metamorphosis stage/change and acquisition
– Member changed themselves to fit within organization.
– Individuals have adapted to the organization
– Feel accepted
– And know what is expected of them
• Adjustment ---or “setting in”—to
– Organizational setting (Insider)
– Culture (adjust to their work group values, norms).
– Roles, norms, tasks, roles of job (Clarifying roles and behaviors)
•
Stages of Socialization Process
Behavioral and affective outcomes
– Carry out role assignments dependably (high productivity; team
work)
– General satisfaction (commitment and satisfaction)
– Remain with organization (employee retention; low turnover)
– Internal work motivation (commitment)
– Innovate and cooperate simultaneously (productivity)
– Job involvement (productivity)
Socialization Content
Performance proficiency :
– learning and mastering the knowledge , skills and abilities to perform the required
work task.
People:
– establishing successful and satisfying work relationships with organizational members
Politics:
– gain information regarding formal and informal work relationships and power
structure
Language:
– understand the profession’s technical language as well as acronyms, slang, jargon
unique to the organization.
Organizational goals and values:
– understanding the rules or principles that maintain the integrity of the organization.
History:
– learning the organization’s traditions, customs, myths, personal background and
other members.
Employee Orientation
• Employee orientation programs are designed to introduce new
employees to:
– The job
– Supervisors
– Coworkers
– Organization (as a whole)
– Focuses on the encounter stage of socialization
Purpose of employee orientation programs
– Reduce newcomer stress
– Reduce start up costs
– Reduce turnover
– Expedite proficiencies
– Assist in new comer adaptation
– Enhance adjustments to work group and norms
– Encourage positive attitudes
Who does the Orientation?
• Orientation may be done by the:
– Supervisor
– The HRM staff
– Or some combination
• Orientation maybe either:
– formal,
– or informal---- depends upon the size of the organization.
Orientation Program Content
Company Specific Job Specific Information
Information – Department functions
– Overview of the company – Job TDRS
– Key policies and – Policies, rules and
procedures procedures
– Mission statement – Tour of department
– Company's goals and – Introduction to
strategy departmental employees
– Compensation benefits – Introduction to work
and safety group
– Employee relation
– Company facilities
Orientation Program Content
The contents of orientation are:
– The organization’s mission and vision
– The organization’s objectives
– Organization’s history (philosophy)
– Procedures
– Rules and regulations (statutes)
– HRM policies and benefits
– Fellow employees (co-workers)
– Learning the organization’s culture
– Culture includes –unwritten rules about what is appropriate
behavior
– Socialize employees know how things are done
• What matters
• And what behaviors are acceptable
