Specific Onboarding Practices for the Socialization of New Employees

Abstract

Onboarding is frequently used by organizations to help socialize newcomers, but little research has focused on the specific onboarding practices organizations use or the effectiveness of those practices in facilitating newcomer adjustment. To begin addressing this gap, this study explores specific onboarding practices and evaluates the Inform‐Welcome‐Guide framework of onboarding practices. Data are presented from representatives of 10 organizations regarding what onboarding practices they offer and how those practices are offered. Three hundred seventy‐three new employees from those same 10 organizations also shared their perceptions of the practices they experienced, when those practices were experienced, and the perceived helpfulness of those practices. Lastly, the extent to which new employees were socialization was assessed. Several research questions and hypotheses among these variables were examined, and most of the hypotheses supported. Implications of these findings for future research and practice are discussed.

Role of HRM in Talent Retention With Evidence

“…The reflexive account is provided by an employee who did not serve in a high-level managerial position for three years between 2012-2015. Retrospective recall and short tenure are limitations that Klein et al (2015) identify as posing the question of bias (for example in the case of an employee giving a retrospective account). Whereas this query will keep on coming up, retrospective accounts are valid sources of information for use in case study research so long as they are objectively balanced.…”

“…Organisational socialisation plays an essential role in newcomer adjustment and transmission of the organisational culture (Klein & Weaver, 2000). Socialisation is a continual process that extends throughout an individual's tenure with an organisation and across organisation throughout one's career (Klein, Polin, & Sutton, 2015). Tan & Shen (2016), provide that the social domain is important as it serves as an essential indicator of an employee's knowledge of how to function successfully with coworkers and supervisors.…”

“…offer information, provide resources and otherwise, assist newcomers during their acculturation. It is common that proactive behaviours are emphasised during the socialisation process (Klein et al, 2015).…”

Onboarding software developers and teams in three globally distributed legacy projects: A multi‐case study

“…In response, companies must recruit new people, or, in other words, start the “onboarding” process, by which newcomers make the transition from being organizational outsiders to being insiders . Effective onboarding helps new employees learn attitudes, knowledge, skills, and behaviors required to work effectively …”

“…While there is a vast literature about onboarding in a diverse type of professions, there are only a few dedicated studies in software engineering research and, to the best of our knowledge, there is no holistic study that investigates how the onboarding of software developers is strategized.…”