Newcomer adjustment: Examining the role of managers’ perception of newcomer proactive behavior during organizational socialization.

Abstract

Separate streams of organizational socialization research have recognized the importance of (a) newcomer proactivity and (b) manager support in facilitating newcomer adjustment. However, extant research has largely focused on the newcomers' experience, leaving the perspectives of managers during socialization relatively unexplored-a theoretical gap that has implications both for newcomer adjustment and manager-newcomer interactions that may serve as a basis for future relationship development. Drawing from the "interlocked" employee behavior argument of Weick (1979), we propose that managers' perception of newcomers' proactive behaviors are associated with concordant manager behaviors, which, in turn, support newcomer adjustment. Further, we investigate a cognitive mechanism-managers' evaluation of newcomers' commitment to adjust-which we expect underlies the proposed relationship between newcomers' proactive behaviors and managers' supportive behaviors. Using a time-lagged, 4-phase data collection of a sample of new software engineers in India and their managers, we were able to test our hypothesized model as well as rule out alternative explanations via multilevel structural equation modeling. Results broadly supported our model even after controlling for manager-newcomer social exchange relationship, proactive personalities of both newcomers and managers, and potential effects of coworker information providing. The implications of our findings for theory and practice are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record

The dark side of socialization: How and when divestiture socialization undermines newcomer outcomes

“…However, these supervisors' actions do not act in opposition with organizational divestiture tactics but rather attenuate their most negative effects. Supervisors are aware of the importance for newcomers to accept requirements imposed by the organization through divestiture tactics and to adjust to their work environment (Ellis et al, ). These joint effects were evident in our setting.…”

Supervisors’ work‐related and nonwork information sharing: Integrating research on information sharing, information seeking, and trust using self‐disclosure theory

“…Following Nifadkar and Bauer () and Ellis et al. (), we adapted a 5‐item scale from VandeWalle, Ganesan, Challagalla, and Brown () to assess the frequency of subordinates’ work‐related information seeking from their supervisors (1 = very rarely to 7 = very frequently ). A sample item is, “(How frequently do you seek information from your supervisor about) technical aspects of the job” ( α = 0.94).…”

“…Despite this apparent connection between the two phenomena, they have not received comparable scholarly attention in recent years. For instance, numerous studies have highlighted the effect of subordinates’ information seeking from their supervisors on their job performance and intention to stay (e.g., Ashford, ; Ashford & Black, ; Bauer & Green, ; Ellis, Nifadkar, Bauer, & Erdogan, ; Nifadkar & Bauer, ; Wanberg & Kammeyer‐Mueller, ).…”

“…On the other hand, the information sharing aspect of this equation has not received adequate attention (e.g., Ellis et al., ; Janssen & Gao, ; Vandenberghe, Bentein, & Panaccio, ). This lopsided attention to supervisors’ information sharing is surprising because the importance of supervisors’ sharing of information with their subordinates has long been recognized.…”

Synergy or substitution? The interactive effects of insiders' fairness and support and organizational socialization tactics on newcomer role clarity and social integration

“…How newcomers transition from outsiders to adjusted insiders is receiving increasing attention because of its lasting effects on performance (Bauer, Bodner, Erdogan, Truxillo, & Tucker, ; Ellis, Nifadkar, Bauer, & Erdogan, ). Organizational socialization , defined as the process by which individuals “learn the ropes” and acquire the attitudes, behaviors, and knowledge needed to participate as an organizational member (Allen, Eby, Chao, & Bauer, ), can be a key source of competitive advantage.…”