SHRM Foundation’s Effective Practice Guidelines Series

SHRM Foundation’s Effective
Practice Guidelines Series

Onboarding New Employees:

Maximizing Success

By Talya N. Bauer, Ph.D

Sponsored by

Right Management

SHRM Foundation’s Effective Practice Guidelines Series

O Mn bao xarSidmuincigzcNieenwsgsEm p l oyees:

Talya N. Bauer, Ph.D

Sponsored by

Right Management

MOnabxoiamrdiiznginNgewSEumpclocyeeessS:

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information regarding the subject matter covered. Neither the publisher nor
the author is engaged in rendering legal or other professional service. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a
competent, licensed professional should be sought. Any federal and state laws discussed in this book are subject to frequent revision and inter-
pretation by amendments or judicial revisions that may significantly affect employer or employee rights and obligations. Readers are encour-
aged to seek legal counsel regarding specific policies and practices in their organizations.

This book is published by the SHRM Foundation, an affiliate of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM©). The interpretations,
conclusions and recommendations in this book are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the SHRM Foundation.

©2010 SHRM Foundation. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America.

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For more information, contact the SHRM Foundation at (703) 535-6020. Online at www.shrm.org/foundation.

10-0645

TabCleoonf tents

v Foreword
vii Acknowledgments
ix About the Author
1 Onboarding New Employees: Maximizing Success
1 A Range of Approaches
2 The Four C’s
4 Using New Tools to Keep Onboarding on Track
4 Short-Term Outcomes of Onboarding:

New Employee Adjustment
6 Long-Term Outcomes of Onboarding:

Attitudes and Behaviors
8 Onboarding and HRM
13 Feedback Tools
13 Onboarded Employees:

Executives vs. Hourly Workers
15 Implications for Small to

Medium Organizations
16 Onboarding Best Practices

17 Conclusion

19 References
25 Sources and Suggested Readings



Foreword

According to recent data, more than 25 percent of the U.S. population
experiences some type of career transition each year. Unfortunately, many
transitions are not successful.

Half of all hourly workers leave new jobs in the first four months, and half
of senior outside hires fail within 18 months. Clearly, there is room for
improvement.

An important way leaders can combat these challenges is to implement a
robust employee onboarding program. Onboarding helps new hires adjust
to the social and performance aspects of their jobs so they can quickly
become productive, contributing members of the organization. This report,
Onboarding New Employees: Maximizing Success, will provide the tools you
need to create an effective onboarding process in your company.

In 2004, the SHRM Foundation created this Effective Practice Guidelines
series for busy HR professionals like you. It’s a challenge for practitioners
with limited time to keep up with the latest research results. By integrating
research findings on what works and expert opinion on how to conduct
effective HR practice into a single publication, we make theory and practice
accessible to you.

Recent reports in this series include The Search for Executive Talent,
Employment Downsizing and Its Alternatives, Recruiting and Attracting
Talent, and Human Resource Strategy. This report is the 12th in the series.
Subject matter experts write the reports, and the drafts are then reviewed
by both academics and practitioners to ensure that the material is research-
based, comprehensive and presented in an easy-to-use format. We also
include a “Suggested Readings” section as a convenient reference tool.
All reports are available online for free download at www.shrm.org
/foundation.

This series supports our vision for the SHRM Foundation to “maximize
the impact of the HR profession on organizational decision-making and
performance by promoting innovation, education, research and the use of
research-based knowledge.” Overall, the Foundation has a strategic focus
on initiatives designed to help organizations maximize leadership talent. We
are confident that the Effective Practice Guidelines series takes us one step
closer to making our vision a reality. Please let us know how we are doing!

Mary A. Gowan, Ph.D.
Chair, SHRM Foundation Research Evidence Committee
Dean and Professor of Management
Martha and Spencer Love School of Business
Elon University

v



Acknowledgments

The SHRM Foundation is grateful for the assistance of the following individuals
in producing this report:

content Editor
M. Susan Taylor, Ph.D.
Dean’s Professor of Human Resources
Co-Director, Center for Human Capital, Innovation and Technology
Robert H. Smith School of Business
University of Maryland

Reviewers
LaTonia Dean-Brown
Associate Director, Human Resources
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
Gregory Karanastasis, PHR
Director, Talent Acquisition
The McGraw-Hill Companies
Martina S. McAndrew, SPHR
Director, Strategic Recruitment
Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP
Suzanne Ritchie
Onboarding & Early Engagement Consultant
TD Ameritrade Corporate Learning & Development

Project Manager
Beth M. McFarland, CAE
Manager, Special Projects
SHRM Foundation

Major funding for the Effective Practice Guidelines series is
provided by the HR Certification Institute and the Society for
Human Resource Management.

vii

About the Author:
Talya N. Bauer

Talya N. Bauer is the Cameron Professor of Management at
Portland State University in Oregon. Dr. Bauer is an award-winning
teacher and researcher. She conducts research about relationships
at work. More specifically, she studies the areas of new-hire
onboarding, recruitment, selection, overqualification, mentoring
and leadership, and has written numerous journal articles. Her
scholarship has appeared in the Academy of Management Journal,
Academy of Learning and Education Journal, Journal of Applied
Psychology, Journal of Management and Personnel Psychology. Dr.
Bauer has been a guest speaker at the SHRM annual conference
and has acted as a consultant for dozens of government, Fortune
1000 and start-up organizations. She is involved in professional
organizations and conferences, serving in elected positions,
including as a member of the Human Resource Management
Executive Committee of the Academy of Management and
Member at Large for the Society for Industrial and Organizational
Psychology. Dr. Bauer is currently the editor of the Journal of
Management and has served on the editorial boards of the Journal
of Applied Psychology, Personnel Psychology and the Journal of
Management. She has co-authored two textbooks—Organizational
Behavior and Principles of Management—and two management
graphic novels with Jeremy Short, Dave Ketchen and illustrator
Len Simon—Atlas Black: Managing to Succeed and Atlas Black:
Management Guru. Her work has been discussed in media
outlets, including the New York Times, BusinessWeek, Wall Street
Journal, Oregonian, Portland Business Journal, NPR’s “All Things
Considered” and KGW News.

ix



Research and conventional wisdom both suggest that
employees get about 90 days to prove themselves in a
new job. The faster new hires feel welcome and prepared
for their jobs, the faster they will be able to successfully
contribute to the firm’s mission.

Onboarding New Employees: Maximizing Success

Onboarding New Employees:
Maximizing Success

After effective recruitment and selection, one of the most important ways
that organizations can improve the effectiveness of their talent management
systems is through the strategic use of onboarding. Onboarding is the
process of helping new hires adjust to social and performance aspects of
their new jobs quickly and smoothly. This should always be a priority for HR
departments, because in the United States, every year more than 25 percent
of the working population experiences career transitions.1 In Fortune 500
companies alone, about 500,000 managers take on new roles each year, and
overall, managers begin new jobs every two to four years. Unfortunately, in
the midst of all these transitions:

• Half of all senior outside hires fail within 18 months in a new position.3
• Half of all hourly workers leave new jobs within the first 120 days.4
This report will explain why onboarding is so important, where it fits into the
larger HR context, how HR managers can proactively manage onboarding
and, finally, how new employees can help facilitate their own onboarding
process.

A Range of Approaches

Research and conventional wisdom both suggest that employees get about
90 days to prove themselves in a new job. Every organization has its own
version of the complex process through which new hires learn attitudes,
knowledge, skills and behaviors required to function effectively. Academic
researchers who study onboarding also use the term organizational
socialization.5 No matter what the terminology, the bottom line is that the
faster new hires feel welcome and prepared for their jobs, the faster they will
be able to successfully contribute to the firm’s mission.

1

Onboarding New Employees: Maximizing Success

The formality and comprehensiveness often struggle to figure out precisely Some other variables HR managers
of onboarding programs varies what is expected and to understand the will want to look at when analyzing
widely across organizations, and norms of their new workplace. their firm’s onboarding procedures
those considered “best in class” are sequencing, numbers of new hires
for onboarding have more formal One of the first things HR managers grouped together and how supportive
onboarding programs.6 For example, should consider is whether their firm the company is—an intangible that is
starting with a first-day welcome, global is served best by informal or formal always difficult to measure.10
beauty company L’Oreal says, “Our aim onboarding.
is to develop successful, committed and
mutually beneficial relationships with • Informal onboarding refers to the The Four C’s
each of our employees.”7 The company process by which an employee learns
supports onboarding with a two-year, about his or her new job without an Onboarding has four distinct levels, the
six-part integration program called explicit organizational plan. Four C’s:11
“L’Oreal Fit.” The program includes:
• Formal onboarding refers to a • Compliance is the lowest level and
• Training and roundtable written set of coordinated policies includes teaching employees basic
discussions. and procedures that assist an legal and policy-related rules and
employee in adjusting to his or her regulations.
• Meetings with key insiders. new job in terms of both tasks and
socialization.8 • Clarification refers to ensuring that
• O n-the-job learning supported by employees understand their new
line management. Research shows that organizations jobs and all related expectations.
that engage in formal onboarding by
• I ndividual mentoring and HR implementing step-by-step programs for • C ulture is a broad category that
support. new employees to teach them what their includes providing employees with
roles are, what the norms of the company a sense of organizational norms—
• F ield and product experiences are and how they are to behave are both formal and informal.
such as site visits and shadowing more effective than those that do not.9
programs. Again, as in the case of L’Oreal, formal • Connection refers to the vital
onboarding provides a fixed sequence of interpersonal relationships and
Approaches to onboarding range from activities for new employees—a sequence information networks that new
quite structured and systematic—as in that is timed carefully—as well as help employees must establish.
the case of L’Oreal—to the “sink or from organizational role models.
swim” strategy, in which new employees The building blocks of successful
onboarding are often called the Four C’s.

Increase Job Increase Innoculate The degree to which each organization
Satisfaction Performance leverages these four building blocks
• Jump start relationships • Clarify delivery expectations Against Turnover determines its overall onboarding
• Clarify objectives • Provide support through strategy, with most firms falling into one
feedback, coaching of three levels.
and follow-up
Level 1: Passive Onboarding
Onboarding helps new employees adjust to their jobs by establishing better
relationships to increase satisfaction, clarifying expectations and objectives to Almost all organizations naturally
improve performance, and providing support to help reduce unwanted turnover. cover compliance as part of formal
onboarding. For firms that engage in
Passive Onboarding, or Level 1, some
role clarification may be given, but neither

2

Onboarding New Employees: Maximizing Success

Connection
Culture

Clarification
Compliance
The building blocks of successful onboarding are often called the Four C’s.

Culture nor Connection is addressed. Level 2: High Potential
Some informal ways of guiding new Onboarding
employees in terms of Culture and
Connection may have developed over When compliance and clarification
time, but no one—including HR staff— are well covered by a firm’s formal
is coordinating the task to maximize onboarding practices and some
onboarding success. If your firm is culture and connection mechanisms
engaged in Passive Onboarding, you are are in place, Level 2—High Potential
likely to view onboarding as a checklist Onboarding—has been reached.
of unrelated tasks to be completed. In these organizations—about 50
Research shows that approximately percent of all firms—the complete
30 percent of organizations—large, process has not yet been established
medium and small—work at this level.12 in a systematic way across the
Passive Onboarding can be functional, organization.
but it is certainly unsystematic.

Onboarding Compliance Clarification Culture Connection
Strategy Level YES SOME
LITTLE/ LITTLE/
1 Passive NONE NONE

2 High Potential YES YES SOME SOME
3 Proactive YES YES YES YES

3

Onboarding New Employees: Maximizing Success

IBM’s “Assimilation Process” resource groups and a 30-60-90 day
checklist.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, IBM executives recognized that the firm had some
success with new employees, but it was stuck at Level 2—High Potential Onboarding. Kellogg’s transition web site is a focal
With increased hiring as a result of restructuring and more job mobility, the new- point of onboarding revitalization. On the
hire population became crucial. The new IBM philosophy boiled down to a simple web site, employees can assess their own
concept—so much money, time and resources are spent on recruiting and hiring that it onboarding status by using the onboarding
is essential to hang onto new employees. track record tool. This tool analyzes
potential strengths and weaknesses of past
Realizing that new hires have different needs than longer-tenured employees, IBM onboarding activities, so it becomes easier
created the Assimilation Process, which consists of three steps: affirming, beginning to pinpoint areas for improvement of a
and connecting. Clear timelines for each step became part of the new process. formal onboarding plan.

• Affirming occurs prior to a new employee’s start date and includes welcoming the To better understand your
new employee, preparing a workstation and assigning a coach. organization’s onboarding level, you
may want to try an inventory like
• Beginning occurs during the employee’s first 30 days. On the first day, strict rules the Onboarding Track Record see
are in place to ensure that the new worker is met in person, introduced to the team, page 5. This will identify strengths and
has a functional area in which to work, completes paperwork and is introduced an weaknesses, help you analyze your current
intranet onboarding platform, known as “Your IBM.” During this crucial first month, situation, and establish where you would
managers make sure that any needed resources are available, clarify roles and like to be in the future. Other helpful tools
responsibilities, encourage the newcomer, and schedule “check in” times to be sure are available later in this report.
that the new employee is making progress with “Your IBM.”
Short-Term Outcomes
• C onnecting occurs during the employee’s first year on the job and consists of three of Onboarding: New
phases. After two months, an “ask coach” checks in to make sure things are on track. Employee Adjustment
At this stage, networking is a priority, so the employee is encouraged to find interest
communities within the company. Between four and six months into the newcomer’s Researchers have identified four major
tenure, the focus becomes his or her accomplishments and understanding IBM’s levers—related to both job roles and
way of getting things done. By the end of one year, IBM considers new employees social environment—that organizations
to be fully integrated. One of the most valuable elements of the Assimilation Process can use to help new employees maximize
is the individual assigned as a new employee’s coach—a friend to answer questions, their onboarding success.
reinforce concepts, share processes and tools, and help transmit the intangible
cultural values of the firm. The first lever for successful onboarding
is self-efficacy, or self-confidence,
With the new process in place, IBM is now an example of a Level 3 onboarding in job performance. To the degree
organization. that a new employee feels confident
in doing the job well, he or she will
Level 3: Proactive Onboarding “I’ll invest my money in people.” In line be more motivated and eventually
with this philosophy, in the 21st century more successful than less confident
All four building blocks are formally Kellogg still sees attracting, selecting, counterparts.15 Organizations should
addressed in Level 3, Proactive engaging and retaining the best talent target specific onboarding programs to
Onboarding. If your firm is as critical to the company’s business help boost employees’ confidence as
systematically organizing onboarding success.14 Feedback from internal surveys they navigate new organizational waters.
with a strategic human resource indicated a need to improve Kellogg’s Self-efficacy has been shown to have an
management approach, you are at onboarding process, so the company impact on organizational commitment,
Level 3. Only about 20 percent of put a transition framework in place. The satisfaction and turnover.16
organizations achieve this level.13 framework includes new ways to add
value, connect and build relationships,
Using New Tools navigate unwritten rules to get things
to Keep Onboarding done, and review performance and
on Track progress. Specifically, Kellogg uses
new employee onboarding training,
W. K. Kellogg, founder of the 100-year- new manager assimilations, employee
old Kellogg Company, famously said,

4

Onboarding New Employees: Maximizing Success

ONBOARDING TOOL #1: ANALYZING YOUR TRACK RECORD A second task-related lever is role
clarity—how well a new employee
Step + Successes – Opportunities to Improve understands his or her role and
expectations.17 Performance will suffer
1. Understand how onboarding if expectations are ambiguous. In fact,
can take the organization to a study of employees in the United
the next level. States and United Kingdom found
that businesses lose an estimated
2. C larify how the new $37 billion each year as a result of
employee will meet employees not understanding their
organization’s needs. jobs.18 Therefore, role clarity (or its
flipside, role ambiguity) is a good
3. A lign stakeholders’ indication of how well-adjusted a
expectations of new new employee is, and measuring role
employee. clarity can help organizations stop
potential performance problems before
4. C reate a powerful slate of they get worse, leading to poor job
potential candidates. attitudes.19 If new employees say they
understand the roles they occupy,
5. E valuate candidates against that obviously indicates higher role
the recruiting brief. clarity.20 Researchers have also studied
role conflict in new employees, with
6. Make the offer and close the lower role conflict indicating more
sale in a way that reinforces positive onboarding outcomes.21
your leadership message. Overall, measures of role clarity are
among the most consistent predictors
7. C o-create a personal of job satisfaction and organizational
onboarding plan with each commitment during the onboarding
new employee. process.

8. Manage the announcement Social integration is the third lever for
cascade to set the new successful onboarding.22 Meeting and
employee up for success. starting to work with organizational
“insiders” is an important aspect of
9. Do what is required for the learning about any organization. In
new employee to be ready, addition, new employees need to feel
eager and able to do real socially comfortable and accepted by
work on Day 1. their peers and superiors. Research
has long found acceptance by peers
10. M anage first impressions to be an indicator of adjustment.23
both ways. According to one estimate, 60 percent
of managers who fail to onboard
11. Create conditions for new successfully cite failure to establish
employees to work well effective working relationships as a
early on with those who primary reason.24
were most helpful.
Integration into one’s work group
12. Give your new employees is positively related to commitment
the resources and support
they need to deliver better 5
results faster.

13. Follow through to ensure
ongoing adjustment and
success.

Other

Used with permission from Bradt, G., & Vonnegut, M. (2009). Onboarding: How to get your
new employees up to speed in half the time. NY: John Wiley.

Onboarding New Employees: Maximizing Success

Selection + Self- + Role + Social + Knowledge = Successful
Efficacy Clarity Integration of Culture Onboarding

After selection and entry, new employees go through multiple adjustments.

and turnover.25 And high-quality adjustment and down the line months faster than employees in a
relationships with leaders and other are associated with commitment, traditional program.
team members undoubtedly are satisfaction and turnover.29
related to favorable onboarding The ultimate failure of onboarding
outcomes,26 including performance Long-Term Outcomes is the withdrawal of potentially good
and job satisfaction.27 New employees of Onboarding: employees. Losing an employee who
should expect help from HR staff, Attitudes and is a poor fit or not performing well
but they also must facilitate their own Behaviors may be a fine outcome, but losing
onboarding by actively building strong employees because they are confused,
relationships. Useful tactics include: Beyond the short-term issues related to feel alienated or lack confidence
employees’ initial adjustments, many indicates inadequate onboarding.33
• Making time to engage in small long-term outcomes of onboarding Simply put, good onboarding leads to
talk with colleagues. affect a firm’s bottom line. When good retention rates. At Corning Glass
surveyed, organizations perceive Works, new employees who attended
• A rranging informal social effective onboarding as improving a structured orientation program were
interactions, such as lunches or retention rates (52 percent), time 69 percent more likely to remain at the
coffee breaks. to productivity (60 percent) and company up to three years.34
overall customer satisfaction (53
• P articipating in voluntary percent).30 For employees, long-term In summary, research on new employee
company functions. outcomes of good onboarding include onboarding35 shows that when
job satisfaction and organizational onboarding is done correctly, it leads to:
• T rying to build a relationship with commitment.31
a supervisor by taking on new • Higher job satisfaction.
responsibilities and successfully New hires should help an organization
completing assignments. accomplish specific goals, and the • Organizational commitment.
degree to which they do this can be
Knowledge of and fit within an helped or hindered by onboarding.32 So • Lower turnover.
organizational culture is the fourth performance is also an important long-
aspect of onboarding. Every company term outcome of onboarding. A study • Higher performance levels.
has a unique culture, so helping new of the onboarding process at Texas
hires navigate that culture—and Instruments found that employees who • Career effectiveness.
their place within it—is essential.28 went through an improved onboarding
Understanding an organization’s program were fully productive two • Lowered stress.
politics, goals and values, and learning
the firm’s unique language are all
important indicators of employee

6

Onboarding New Employees: Maximizing Success

Case Study: Effective Onboarding and Integration Cultural Integration
Following an Acquisition Any employee moving from a small company to a larger, highly
matrixed organization will need time to assimilate. However, for
By Renee’ Parratore, MA-HRIR, manager, HR, and Darin Artman, this important group of employees, BMS wanted to accelerate
the process for both managers and employees. An analysis was
Ph.D., director, HR, Bristol-Myers Squibb completed to compare the Medarex biotech culture with the
BMS biopharmaceutical culture in order to identify the key areas
When Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS), a mid-sized pharmaceutical of significant change. Managers were then trained in mitigating
company with nearly 30,000 employees, acquired Medarex, a actions to support the integration.
biotech company of fewer than 500 employees, in September of
2009, our key objective was to onboard and integrate employees Following the manager training, our focus shifted to the newly
into one organization effectively. Following a talent assessment onboarded employees. In the first of two “Cross Cultural
and placement process, approximately 100 Medarex employees Awareness” sessions, a diverse group of BMS leaders who had
would be transferring into BMS positions within a five-month experience working in or with biotech companies shared their
period. The onboarding approach focused on two dimensions— personal stories of integrating into a larger organization during
operational integration and cultural integration—which built a panel discussion. In the second session, two senior BMS
on the existing processes for external new hires while enhancing leaders discussed the BMS cultural journey, from its inception—
processes that would make a positive impact on our newest biotech when BMS was a traditional pharmaceutical company—to the
employees. present and on to its desired future state. Both sessions provided
employees an opportunity to ask leaders questions, learn about the
Operational Integration BMS culture and provide candid feedback to their managers about
One factor in making a strong first impression on a new employee how their integration was progressing.
is to provide functioning workspace and tools on Day 1. Teams
from Finance, Facilities, Information Technology, Compliance After focusing on both the operational and cultural components
and Human Resources were tasked with preparing all “behind- of the onboarding experience, we completed an evaluation for the
the-scenes” processes for the influx of 100 new employees over new employees to provide feedback to our centralized team. The
the course of four months. Keeping in mind that many of our evaluation concluded that 92 percent of our employees believed
processes require actions from both the hiring manager and the they were productive and contributing members of their teams
new employee, we generated a “Preparation Checklist,” which after one month on the job—a result that reinforced the value of
described the key activities needed beginning 30 days prior to the our onboarding efforts.
selected start date. Training was provided to all hiring managers,
and pre-Day 1 communication to the employees outlined clear
expectations of the integration process.

Biotech vs. BioPharma: What’s the difference? What can you do to smooth the transition during the
Onboarding/Integration period?

Culture Dimension Change Impact Hypotheses Potential Manager Onboarding Actions
Governance &
Decision-Making • Biotech employees may feel • E ducate onboarded employees on the matrix structure, highlighting organizations, governance,
overwhelmed when navigating within key success factors, etc.
Performance, the large matrix organization.
Accountability & • L everage existing collaboration approaches used within the company, particularly in the Research
Rewards • B iotech employees may be frustrated group, to facilitate knowledge sharing.
People & by seemingly slow decision-making
Communications processes. • Educate new managers on their decision rights for go-forward roles.
• Encourage employees to provide input into decision-making process, where appropriate, so they
• E xpectations on performance and
accountability may be different at a feel that they are contributing as part of the process instead of just waiting for decisions.
Biotech than at a larger BioPharma.
• Communicate performance expectations, including alignment to company goals and
• B iotech employees can often “walk compensation and incentives.
down the hall” and talk to all of
their colleagues, while BioPharma • Educate employees on the new matrix structure, highlighting organizations, governance, key
colleagues are geographically success factors, etc. Provide them with a ‘buddy’ to help in navigation.
dispersed across sites and
departments.

7

Onboarding New Employees: Maximizing Success

A research-based model of onboarding

Industry, Organization Size, Leadership, Climate and Culture

Recruiting Process Orientation Forums Support Tools & Processes
(e.g., RJP, Stakeholders (e.g., New Employee (e.g., Written
Orientation Guide)
Involvement) Onboarding Plan, Key
Stakeholders Check-In,
Integration Meetings)

Selection + Self- + Role + Social + Knowledge = Successful
efficacy Clarity Integration of Culture Onboarding

Feedback Tools Training Coaching & Support
(e.g., 360º Feedback, (e.g., Hard Skills, Soft (e.g., Hiring Manager, HR
Performance Appraisals, Skills, Onboarding Skills)
Feedback Seeking) Generalist, Mentor)

Time for Successful Onboarding…Ongoing pre-hire to 12 months post-entry

Onboarding onboarding of new employees. The the process. Recall the three levels of
and HRM model summarizes both new employee onboarding discussed above: Level
adjustment and outcomes of successful 1–Passive, Level 2–High Potential and
Until recently, academics have studied onboarding. The recruitment and Level 3–Proactive. Most onboarding
the onboarding process under the selection process is actually the first practices fit into one of these levels.
larger category of “socialization,” step to effective onboarding. Clearly
and onboarding has been considered identifying valued behaviors and hiring Successful onboarding is the result
a minor part of human resource candidates who demonstrate them will of several HRM functions working
management (HRM). Today, however, increase the likelihood of a smooth together in a coordinated fashion.
both academic researchers and those onboarding process. Although here each function is
responsible for onboarding within their discussed separately, the key to
organizations understand that the best What happens during successful onboarding is for HRM
programs are those that are based on onboarding? functions to work together seamlessly
solid research and also make sense in to support new employees. The process
practice. Above is a diagram of research During onboarding, firms engage in a starts even before a new employee
about factors that play a role in successful variety of activities that may facilitate arrives: the first HRM function,

8

Onboarding New Employees: Maximizing Success

and the first interaction of a new regarding both the specific job to
employee with the firm, is recruiting. be done and the organizational
culture. RJPs have advantages and
Recruiting disadvantages. As an experiment, one
In Passive Oboarding, organizations’ firm randomly assigned prospective
recruiting processes are unrelated employees to either an RJP group or
to new employee onboarding plans. a non-RJP group. As expected, the
Rather than viewing recruitment as a RJP group was more likely to reject a
time to begin the onboarding process, job offer, but they had 50 percent less
it is seen as a separate function. In fact, turnover than the non-RJP group.39
the entire goal of recruitment should Realistic previews help to prevent
be to get candidates to the next step— new employees from suffering unmet
selection—and then to help them fit expectations. Past research has found
into the organizational environment that new employees receiving large
and get to know organizational amounts of accurate information about
insiders and stakeholders.36 The a company and their new job tend to
recruitment process provides adjust better than those who don’t
information, but it also helps new acquire this information.40 RJPs can
employees form realistic expectations be provided during recruitment and
and engage coping mechanisms.37 In hiring or through more on-the-job
this way, the quality of recruitment experiences such as internships.
practices relates to higher
organizational commitment.38 Orientations
Some 93 percent of organizations
Realistic Job Previews now use some type of new-employee
Organizations can provide employees orientation—either in person or
with realistic job previews (RJPs) online.41 Formal orientation programs

Case Study: Intensive Onboarding at Zappos

One organization that engages in intensive onboarding during orientations is
Zappos.com (acquired in 2009 by Amazon.com, Inc.). Zappos managed to
move from 23rd place on Fortune magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work
For” list in 2009 to 15th place in 2010.

New employees at Zappos learn about the organization’s values and procedures
in an intensive five-week training course, during which new hires are offered
$2,000 to quit if they feel they are not a good fit for the organization. To date,
only about one percent of trainees have taken this offer. This might be why even
though Zappos has more than 1,300 employees, the company has been able to
maintain a relatively flat organizational structure and prides itself on its extreme
transparency.

– from Bauer, T., & Erdogan, B. (2010).
Organizational Behavior. Nyack, NY: Flat World Knowledge.

9

Onboarding New Employees: Maximizing Success

help new employees understand many intervals to help new employees
important aspects of their jobs and get the information they need
organizations, including the company’s in a timely manner. Many
culture and values, its goals and history, stakeholders should be involved
and its power structure.42 Orientation in these onboarding meetings,
programs also serve a social role, helping and the schedule should identify
newcomers feel welcome by introducing who is involved at what point
them to their co-workers and other in time. With regular “touching
individuals within the organization. base” meetings, potential
Orientations, which may last a few problems can be solved before
hours to a few months, can provide new they expand into large problems.
employees with valuable information
and the chance to process a lot of • O nboarding online. Some
paperwork and procedures quickly, organizations use technology
using tools that include discussions, to deliver initial orientation
lectures, videotapes and written material. programs, but one study shows
During short orientations, companies that benefits may not be quite
often use computer-based information as positive in computer-based
systems and intranets to help support orientations. Researchers
new employees. This approach lends compared employees taking
consistency to orientations in different part in a regular, face-to-
locations and at different times. face orientation to those in a
computer-based orientation and
Support Tools and Processes found less understanding of the
Both during and after the orientation, job and the company for those
readily available support tools, such as in the computer-based version.44
those discussed below, are invaluable Technology also can be used to
for onboarding success. follow the onboarding process,
automate basic forms, track
• A written onboarding plan. A progress against development
formal document, or roadmap, and career plans, and help
that outlines the specific timeline, stakeholders monitor new
goals, responsibilities and support employees to see when they
available to new hires will help may need additional support.
them succeed because it spells About 68 percent of Level 3
out what they should do and organizations have onboarding
what assistance they can expect. systems that are partially or fully
The most effective onboarding online.45
plans are usually written,
communicated to all members of Coaching and Support
the company, consistently applied As mentioned above, stakeholder
and tracked over time.43 involvement is extremely valuable
for successful new employee
• Stakeholder meetings. Proactive/ onboarding because stakeholders can
Level 3 organizations often create help newcomers manage and meet
check-in meetings at specific expectations.46 Stakeholders include

10

Onboarding New Employees: Maximizing Success

Onboarding Tool #2: Conversation Guide
Some useful questions to ask during onboarding conversations

Learning

Give me your read on the general situation at the firm.
What strengths/capabilities are required?
Which strengths/capabilities exist now?
Can you offer some examples?

Expectations

What do you see as high priorities?
Lower priorities?
Current untouchable topics?
What resources are available to invest against these priorities?

Implementation

Tell me about the control points, both metrics and process, such as meetings, reports, etc.
Tell me about some of the decisions we make.
Who makes them, and who else is involved?
How?
What is the best way to communicate with you, including mode, manner, frequency and how
to deal with disagreements?

Used with permission from Bradt, G., & Vonnegut, M. (2009). Onboarding: How to get your
new employees up to speed in half the time. NY: John Wiley.

those involved in hiring, training, HR, programs, opportunities for informal
and normal coaching and support. interaction with colleagues and adequate
They can influence new hires by not information certainly will help the new
only sharing information but also employees adapt more easily to the new
serving as role models to be emulated. work environment.

Mentors are a similar resource to Both internal and external coaching
help new employees learn the ropes. can be critical in the success or
A mentor can teach new employees failure of new employees. External
about the organization, offer advice, coaches can be especially important
help with job instruction, and provide for executive onboarding, where the
support in social and political terms. stakes are high. An objective coach
New employees may go to mentors can help new executives by offering
with questions that they are hesitant to a safe sounding board for ideas and
ask their managers for fear of seeming approaches. External coaches can also
incompetent.47 One study found that help new executives prepare for their
new employees with mentors became onboarding process before they enter,
more knowledgeable about their new as well as assist with any challenges they
organizations than new employees who encounter in their new organization.
did not have mentors.48 Researchers
have also found that new employees Training
are more likely to have learned and A new employee needs the confidence,
internalized the key values of their clarity and skills to do the job he or
organization’s culture if they had she has been hired to do. Potential
spent time with a mentor.49 Mentoring training for new employees includes

11

Onboarding New Employees: Maximizing Success

Case Study: Keeping Onboarding Up-to-Date at Microsoft

In 2009, Microsoft employed 90,000 individuals worldwide in 108 countries. In 2004, the software giant hired more
than 7,000 new employees, and in 2006, the company hired nearly 16,000. Even with a challenging economy, the
company expects to start 8,000 employees in 2010. With such a large influx of newcomers each year, Microsoft saw an
opportunity to leverage onboarding of employees around the world.

The corporate onboarding mission is to enhance the new employee experience through high quality, scalable onboarding
programs and frameworks that support Microsoft’s business goals, advance the “aspire to” culture, encourage
community, and build organizational capability to onboard others.

To achieve this mission, a team of HR professionals within Microsoft works to keep the onboarding program up-to-
date and relevant. After a major revision of the company process, the team came up with a framework that includes
core philosophies:

• Managers play a critical role in onboarding new employees.

• P eer mentors provide “safe havens” for new employees to ask questions, gain knowledge and explore the
culture.

• Onboarding is “everyone’s job”—not just HR’s.

• Team members play a critical role in providing support, knowledge and a welcoming climate.

WORLDWIDE FOCUS

Pre Start NEO Everday Legal NEO 2.0 6 & 12
Work Overview Month
Touch
Made Easy Points

Peer Mentor
Location

Onboarding Roadmap
Organization

Profession Web support for new employees

New employee helpdesk

+Custom additions for senior levels
Overview of Microsoft’s Onboarding Program.55

12

Onboarding New Employees: Maximizing Success

hard skills, soft skills and onboarding • E mployee-initiated information executives and new employees lower in
skills, and each skill set is important. and feedback seeking. Employees the organizational hierarchy, practices
If a new employee has low levels of can help or hinder their own must be tailored to the type of
self-efficacy at the start, training is even onboarding. Information-seeking employee being onboarded.
more necessary to boost subsequent and feedback are proactive new-
ability to cope and job performance.50 employee behaviors that may Executive onboarding
Training can show newcomers how to help them adjust as they ask
proactively help their own adjustment questions about different aspects Onboarding is more developed for
and therefore encourage successful of their jobs, company procedures higher-level employees than for hourly
onboarding. and priorities—all to make sense workers. Organizations understand
of the new workplace.51 Workers that getting executives and managers
Feedback Tools may seek information using more up to speed quickly is important
passive methods—monitoring because these leadership positions are
New employees often make missteps the environment, viewing the highly visible and influence the bottom
and may find it challenging to company web site, reading the line more clearly.56 Estimates vary
understand and interpret positive employee handbook or other depending on the organization, but
or negative reactions they receive written literature. But very little the cost of a single failed executive-
from co-workers. This means insight about company culture and level manager can be as high as $2.7
they will often need feedback and unwritten rules will emerge from million.57 Unfortunately, 32 percent of
guidance. Research consistently passive methods. As time passes, global executives say the onboarding
shows the benefits of feedback for employees should start asking more they experienced was poor.58
new employee adjustment. During questions of supervisors about
onboarding, feedback is a two-way expectations and evaluation, but Executive onboarding differs from
process. New employees seek and they may be reluctant to do so traditional onboarding in several
receive information, and companies if they believe such questioning ways.59
vary in how well they use feedback will reveal their own weaknesses.52
tools during the onboarding process. Yet asking questions will often • Executives have more
A couple of common approaches to communicate to others that the stakeholders with whom to
employee feedback are: new employee is interested in interact.
learning the norms and performing
• P erformance appraisals and well.53 The need for new employees • T hey are normally brought in
360-degree feedback. Within to ask the most basic questions is to help with specific strategic
the HRM system, performance lessening as more organizations initiatives that may require
appraisals can give new employees institute formal onboarding changing the status quo rather
developmental feedback. programs that include help desks, than fitting into it.
Normally, however, organizations online information centers and
conduct appraisals only once or regularly scheduled meetings with • They often are confronted with
twice a year. When integrating stakeholders. unique and challenging situations
appraisals into the onboarding that require unique solutions.
process, quarterly meetings Onboarded
can be helpful. The benefit of Employees: Executives Executive onboarding has a long
360-degree feedback is that it vs. Hourly Workers history in organizations such as Dell,
helps new employees understand Toyota, General Electric and PepsiCo.60
how others view them. Feedback Although the best practices presented The higher a person’s level in the
from all sides can help resolve any in this report certainly apply to both organization, the more tailored and
disagreements early on. flexible the program will need to be.

13

Onboarding New Employees: Maximizing Success

Case Study: Executive Onboarding at Bank of America

Bank of America is an organization with an effective executive onboarding program. Between 2001 and 2006, the bank
hired 189 external executives, and more than 200 internal candidates went through a formal executive onboarding
process. The company has three major goals for its executive onboarding program:

1. Minimize the high costs of executive derailment.
2. Accelerate executive performance results.
3. Facilitate a smooth integration experience for new executives.

The derailment rate for Bank of America’s executives is 12 percent, compared to an industry average of 40 percent for
large organizations. How does the Bank of America accomplish this?

Best practices developed at Bank of America include:

• V iewing onboarding as unfolding over time.
• E ncompassing multiple interventions.
• G aining support from multiple organizational resources.
• Involving key stakeholders.
• Emphasizing quality interactions.

Source: Bauer, T.N., & Elder, E. (2006). Onboarding newcomers into organizations. Presentation at the Society for Human Resource Management Annual
Conference, Washington, D.C.; Conger, J.A., & Fishel, B. (2007). Accelerating leadership performance at the top: Lessons from the Bank of America’s
executive on-boarding process. Human Resource Management Review, 17, 442-454.

Onboarding Tool #3: Bank of America’s Onboarding: What, Why and When

Onboarding tool Why Is It Used? When Is It Used?
Held on the first day on the job
Orientation Program Includes information on the business, history, culture
Written Onboarding Plan and values of Bank of America Provided in the first week after entry
Leadership Tools
Key Stakeholder Meetings Helps new executives organize and prioritize the Provided in the first week after entry
New Leader-Team Integration onboarding process
New Peer Integration Must be done in the first two months
Help new executives understand the leadership
Key Stakeholder Check-in Meetings frameworks at Bank of America Occurs between two and three
Executive Networking Forums months after entry
360-Degree Feedback Allow for important flows of information and for Occurs between two and three
expectation setting months after entry

Helps accelerate the development of relationships Occur between three and four
between the new executive and his or her team members months after entry
Held quarterly
Helps accelerate the development of relationships
between the new executive and the rest of the Occurs after six months after entry
executive team

Help diagnose potential problems, receive
developmental feedback and create solutions

Help new executives connect and network with other
executives

Helps new executives gauge how they are performing
on key metrics as measured by those around them

14

Onboarding New Employees: Maximizing Success

Hourly worker onboarding Onboarding. Paperwork Onboarding Tool #4: A Checklist
and rules were covered, but for Individuals
Almost all research studies to date little else was systematically How Can a New Employee Maximize
have examined the onboarding of addressed. While limited, other Onboarding Success?
salaried workers (executives and onboarding practices included
knowledge workers) rather than hourly job shadowing, mentors and • Gather information.
workers. Recently, however, using understanding who to go to for • Manage first impressions.
a qualitative approach, researchers specific information. • Invest in relationship
conducted structured interviews with
hourly workers and their managers Based on these limited findings, it development.
to get a better understanding of what is clear that there is a potential to • Seek feedback.
onboarding looks like at the other greatly enhance the onboarding of • Show success early on.
end of the corporate ladder.62 What hourly workers if the business case can
they found was a different picture. be made that doing so will result in 15
Given how unique this approach is, higher performance, lower turnover
the following sections delineate the and more positive work attitudes.
findings to offer HR professionals who
work with hourly employees the latest Although this report has
information. focused primarily on the role of
organizations, it is important to
How do hourly workers differ? remember that employee onboarding
is a two-way street. The employees
• T ime. New hourly employees themselves bear some responsibility
reported that they were fully for making onboarding work and
on board after an average of should be encouraged to think about
three-and-a-half weeks, but their own roles in the process.
supervisors reported that new
hourly employees were not fully Implications for
functional until three months after Small to Medium
they were hired. Three months is Organizations
more in line with past research and
theories; less than one month is Many of the examples given in this
not. report refer to the best practices of
large organizations with vast resources
• S takeholders. For hourly to invest in their onboarding plans.
employees, direct supervisors For small to medium organizations,
and co-workers were involved in many best practices can translate
onboarding—with little contact and be effective. In fact, looking at
from regional managers or those the onboarding best practices in this
higher up in the organizations. report, the only recommendations
Getting adequate time and that may be expensive to implement
attention from supervisors was for smaller companies are those
a common challenge for new that involve technology and
hourly employees. getting the onboarding process
fully online. Bringing a program
• Content of onboarding. Most online is not necessarily important
of the content of onboarding
for new hourly employees was
related to Level 1—Passive

Onboarding New Employees: Maximizing Success

if fewer employees are undergoing most important day on the job for
onboarding at any given time. So, a new employee is the first day. The
fortunately, small and medium CEO of one major organization
organizations can accrue the recognizes this and takes newcomers
benefits of best practices developed to lunch within their first month.
within large organizations simply This is part of the company culture,
by investing some attention to and employees proudly share this
developing their own strategic plans. observation. Because research shows
that the trajectory of a new hire’s
Onboarding success is set as early as the first two
Best Practices weeks, it is important to make the
first day a special one. Many hourly
Both the big things—like using a workers do not come back if the
formal orientation program and first day is disappointing. To get
written plan—and the little things— beyond the first day, review the list
like greeting a new employee of organizational best practices for
warmly, taking her or him to onboarding below.
lunch, and providing a functioning
workstation on Day 1—matter in
your onboarding program. The

Best Practices for Onboarding

✔ Implement the basics prior to the first day on the job.
✔ Make the first day on the job special.
✔ Use formal orientation programs.
✔ Develop a written onboarding plan.
✔ Make onboarding participatory.
✔ Be sure your program is consistently implemented.
✔ Ensure that the program is monitored over time.
✔ Use technology to facilitate the process.
✔ Use milestones, such as 30, 60, 90 and 120 days on the job—and up to one year

post-organizational entry—to check in on employee progress.

✔ Engage stakeholders in planning.
✔ Include key stakeholder meetings as part of the program.
✔ Be crystal clear with new employees in terms of:

• Objectives.
• Timelines.
• Roles.
• Responsibilities

16

Onboarding New Employees: Maximizing Success

Conclusion

Successful onboarding is a key part of any talent management strategy. With
the high cost of recruiting, business leaders must understand that effectively
integrating new hires into the organization is an important step to ensure
their success. Understanding who owns the onboarding process as a whole
and who controls various steps in the process is vital to onboarding success
and sustainability over time. Simply writing down a formal plan will not help
new employees succeed. The key is to engage important stakeholders and new
employees in interactions that help them understand one another and how they
interact over time. Used in conjunction with HRM best practices, effective
onboarding will result in a faster learning curve for new hires, improved
communication, and a more productive and engaged workforce.

17

Both internal and external coaching can be critical in the
success or failure of new employees. External coaches
can be especially important for executive onboarding,
where the stakes are high.

Onboarding New Employees: Maximizing Success

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O’Reilly, C. A. (1990). Building 45 A berdeen. (2008). All aboard: accounting firms. Administrative
organizational commitment: Effective onboarding techniques and Science Quarterly, 36, 459-484;
A multifirm study. Journal of strategies. Retrieved April 26, 2010, Green, S. G., & Bauer, T. N.
Occupational Psychology, 63, 245- from www.aberdeen.com/Aberdeen (1995). Supervisory mentoring by
261. -Library/6328/RA-onboarding advisers: Relationships with Ph.D.
-employee-engagement.aspx. student potential, productivity, and
39 Suszko, M.J., & Breagh, J. A. commitment. Personnel Psychology,
(1986). The effects of realistic job 46 C hatman, J. A. (1991). Matching 48, 537-561.
previews on applicant self-selection people and organizations: Selection
and turnover, satisfaction, and coping and socialization in public 50 S aks, A. M. (1995). Longitudinal
ability. Journal of Management, 12, accounting firms. Administrative field investigation of the moderating
513-523. Science Quarterly, 36, 459-484; and mediating effects of self-efficacy
Ostroff, C., & Kozlowski, S. W. on the relationship between training
40 Klein, H. J., Fan, J., & Preacher, J. (1993). The role of mentoring and newcomer adjustment. Journal
K. J. (2006). The effects of early in the information gathering of Applied Psychology, 80, 211-225.
socialization experiences on processes of newcomers during early
content mastery and outcomes: A organizational socialization. Journal 51 Bauer, T. N., Bodner, T., Erdogan,
mediational approach. Journal of of Vocational Behavior, 42, 170-183. B., Truxillo, D. M., & Tucker, J.
Vocational Behavior, 68, 96-115. S. (2007). Newcomer adjustment
47 A llen, T. D., Eby, L. T., & Lentz, during organizational socialization: A
41 Anderson, N. R., Cunningham- E. (2006). Mentorship behaviors meta-analyticreview of antecedents,
Snell, N. A., & Haigh, J. (1996). and mentorship quality associated outcomes and methods. Journal
Induction training as socialization: with formal mentoring programs: of Applied Psychology, 92, 707-721;
Current practice and attitudes to Closing the gap between research Morrison, E. W. (1993). Newcomer
evaluation in British organizations. and practice. Journal of Applied information seeking: Exploring
International Journal of Selection Psychology, 91, 567-578 types, modes, sources, and outcomes.
and Assessment, 4, 169-183. Academy of Management Journal, 36,
48 O stroff, C., & Kozlowski, S. W. 557-589;Morrison, E. W. (1993).
42 Klein, H. J., & Weaver, N. A. J. (1993). The role of mentoring Longitudinal study of the effects of
(2000). The effectiveness of an in the information gathering information seeking on newcomer
organizational-level orientation processes of newcomers during early socialization. Journal of Applied
training program in the socialization organizational socialization. Journal Psychology, 78, 173-183.
of new hires. Personnel Psychology, 53, of Vocational Behavior, 42, 170-183.
47-66. 52 C han, D., & Schmitt, N. (2000).
49 B auer, T. N., & Green, S. G. Interindividual differences in
43 Bauer, T. N., & Elder, E. (2006). (1998). Testing the combined
Onboarding newcomers into an

22

Onboarding New Employees: Maximizing Success

intraindividual changes in proactivity externally hired executives:
during organizational entry: A Avoiding derailment – accelerating
latent growth modeling approach to contribution. Poster presented
understanding newcomer adaptation. at the Society for Industrial and
Journal of Applied Psychology, 85, Organizational Psychology (SIOP),
190-210. Atlanta, GA.

53 Gruman, J. A., Saks, A. M., & 60 Conger, J. A., & Benjamin, B.
Zweig, D. L. (2006). Organizational (1999). Building leaders: How
socialization tactics and newcomer successful companies develop the next
proactive behaviors: An integrative generation. San Francisco: Jossey-
study. Journal of Vocational Behavior, Bass; Fulmer, R. M., & Conger, J.A.
69, 90-104. (2004). Growing your company’s
leaders: How organizations use
54 Personal communication with Paul succession management to sustain
Gomez, Microsoft (April 23, 2010). competitive advantage. New York:
AMACOM.
55 Zimberg, K. S. (2007). On-boarding
at Microsoft: A framework for new 61 Based on information included in
employee success. In K. S. Zimberg Conger, J.A., & Fishel, B. (2007).
& C. Paddock (Practice Forum Accelerating leadership performance
Co-chairs), Advances in newcomer at the top: Lessons from the
socialization: Ensuring new employee Bank of America’s executive on-
success through onboarding. Society boarding process. Human Resource
for Industrial and Organizational Management Review, 17, 442-454.
Psychology Annual Conference, New
York, NY. 62 Krauss, A. (2010). A qualitative
study investigating the onboarding
56 Bauer, T. N., & Elder, E. (2006). of the hourly workforce. Poster
Onboarding newcomers into presented at the Society for
organizations. Presentation at Industrial and Organizational
the Society for Human Resource Psychology (SIOP), Atlanta, GA.
Management Annual Meeting,
Washington, D.C.; Van Velsor, E., & 63 Liden, R. C., Wayne, S. W., &
Leslie, J. B. (1995). Why executives Stilwell, D. (1993). A longitudinal
derail: Perspectives across time and study on the early development of
culture. Academy of Management leader-member exchanges. Journal of
Executive, 8, 62-72. Applied Psychology, 78, 662-674.

57 Watkins, M. (2003). The first 90
days. Boston, MA: Harvard Business
School Press.

58 P omeroy, A. (2006). Better executive
onboarding processes needed. HR
Magazine, 51, 16.

59 D ai, G., De Meuse, K., &
Gaeddert, D. (2010). Onboarding

23

Used in conjunction with HRM best practices, effective
onboarding will result in a faster learning curve for new
hires, improved communication and a more productive
and engaged workforce.

Onboarding New Employees: Maximizing Success

Sources and Suggested Readings

Books and Book Chapters

Bauer, T.N., Morrison, E.W., & Callister, R.R. (1998). Organizational
socialization: A review and directions for future research. In G. R. Ferris (Ed.),
Research in personnel and human resource management: Vol. 16 (pp. 149-214).
Greenwich, CT: JAI Press.
The report looks at the socialization of newcomers in regard to three
different trends: increasing cultural diversity in the workforce, the increasingly
temporary nature of employment and downsizing. The authors provide
a comprehensive overview of the research done thus far with regard to
socialization and suggest that socialization can be better understood when
considered in the context of the above trends. The most important areas for
future research are highlighted, including the process of cultural learning,
the effects of organizational characteristics, how new entrants develop power,
pre-entry values and proactive behaviors other than information seeking. These
authors encourage researchers to be mindful of the context in which one
works, especially in regard to globalization and cultural diversity.

Bradt, G., & Vonnegut, M. (2009). Onboarding: How to get your new employees
up to speed in half the time. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
What problems can an uninformed employee pose to an organization? The
authors of the book address this question by explaining some of the most
effective tactics in orienting new employees about organizational culture and
norms and ways to enable newcomers to begin contributing as soon as possible
to the organization. Not properly orienting new employees can lead to feelings
of dissatisfaction on the part of the employee, but it also can ultimately hurt
the organization as a whole. Consultants Bradt and Vonnegut have created the
Total Onboarding Program and suggest ways to prepare employees quickly and
efficiently, which ultimately leads to organizationwide success.

Sims, D. (2001). Creative new employee orientation programs: Best practices,
creative ideas, and activities for energizing your orientation program. New York:
McGraw Hill.
This book provides strategies for companies that want to move the orientation
process beyond filling out paperwork, toward familiarizing new employees
with organizational norms and culture. The objective of this book is to inform
those responsible for the orientation process how to effectively increase a
newcomer’s understanding of the company’s mission and maximize new
employee productivity. The author provides specific programs designed for an
effective orientation as well as case studies for comparison. Preparation creates

25

Onboarding New Employees: Maximizing Success

increased success in the workplace, and areas for future research. The most looking at nonprofessional workers
a comprehensive orientation program accumulated data and field studies are prior to entry into an organization
provides the tools for that success. in the area of realistic job previews. and examining how these experiences
Only a moderate amount of research influence the socialization process.
Wanous, J. (1980). Organizational has been conducted on the other three In addition, the change and process
entry: Recruitment, selection, and topics. The authors point out that that an individual experiences in
socialization of newcomers. Reading, when one focuses on a narrow topic transforming from an outsider to
MA: Addison-Wesley. within socialization, it quickly becomes an insider and contributing to the
clear that there have been relatively few success of the organization is studied
The author of this book addresses the studies conducted, which accounts for further. In conclusion, the author finds
important role that HR departments the large disparity between theory and inadequate support for the previously
play in an organization’s effectiveness. data. held belief that prior work experience
In addition to understanding the way in similar settings will positively
a business functions, it is important Watkins, M. (2003). The first 90 days. relate to socialization variables. The
to understand the value of behavioral Boston, MA: Harvard Business School author emphasizes the importance
studies and how to effectively bring Press. in future research to be mindful that
new employees into an organization. socialization is a continuous process
This book offers solutions for what This book walks the reader through rather than a series of isolated events.
the author considers “chronic human the necessary steps one must take in
resources problems,” including how the critical transition to a new role Allen, D. (2006). Do organizational
to choose the right employees for in order to become a successful and socialization tactics influence
the job, how to develop successful effective leader. The author describes newcomer embeddedness and
incentive programs and how to the “break-even” point, which occurs turnover? Journal of Management, 32,
effectively address conflict within the when the organization you work for 237-256.
organization. needs you as much as you need it.
The strategy outlined in this book New employees are a significant
Wanous, J., & Colella, A. (1989). can be applied to a diverse spectrum investment for an organization, but
Organizational entry research: Current of leadership positions and tailored at the same time, many organizations
status and future directions. In G. to meet your specific needs. Based on experience the highest turnover rates
R. Ferris & K. M. Rowland (Eds.), research and field work, the author among new employees. This creates
Research in personnel and human describes how to build credibility a significant loss to the company
resources management: Vol. 7 (pp. 59- during this crucial period, understand monetarily and productively. The
120). Greenwich, CT: JAI Press. your own personal strengths and hypothesis of this study postulates
weaknesses, become a constructive that socialization tactics influence
This article focuses on four topics: the negotiator and maintain balance. newcomer turnover and specifically
effects of realistic job previews (RJPs), that turnover is influenced by
the effectiveness of different recruiting Articles embedding new employees into the
sources, job candidates’ job selection organization. The author describes
process and the organizational Adkins, C.L. (1995). Previous steps that can be taken to entrench
socialization of newcomers— work experience and organizational employees more firmly into an
specifically the behavior and perspective socialization: A longitudinal organization. The findings of the
of the newcomer. To complete this examination. Academy of Management study suggest that organizations that
study, the authors used research articles Journal, 38, 839-862. invest in continuous socialization
and previously unpublished work. The methods have a lower probability of
key findings summarize past research The author of this article sets out worker turnover. Strong socialization
that has been conducted in regard to measure socialization variables strategies for newcomers have the
to the above topics and suggests longitudinally. The study begins
with organizational entry, specifically

26

Onboarding New Employees: Maximizing Success

potential to assist individuals in feeling practices to foster the desired level of more likely to engage in this self-
more at ease by building relationships, commitment of their employees. focused control tactic. The newcomers’
minimizing uncertainty and creating attempts to frame their new situations
structure within the new environment. Ashford, S. J., & Black, J. S. (1996). positively were related to increased
Creating structural support enables Proactivity during organizational entry: self-reported performance and job
new employees to feel a sense of A role of desire for control. Journal of satisfaction.
independence and proficiency within Applied Psychology, 81, 199-214.
their roles. Ashforth, B.E., & Saks, A.M. (1995).
Historical literature focuses on ways Work-role transitions: A longitudinal
Allen, N.J., & Meyer, J.P. (1990). that an organization influences examination of the Nicholson
Organizational socialization tactics: individual behavior. This study model. Journal of Occupational and
A longitudinal analysis of links to examines a sample of organizational Organizational Psychology, 68, 157-
newcomers’ commitment and role newcomers and looks at the ways these 175.
orientation. Academy of Management individuals attempt to gain feelings of
Journal, 33, 847-858. personal control during organizational This article analyzes the prior work
entry and how individual character of Nigel Nicholson, creator of the
This study provides evidence affects the entry process. The study Nicholson model, which suggests that
that newcomers’ organizational suggests that individuals proactively new role entry encourages individual
socialization experiences are negatively seek information and feedback, foster personal and/or role development.
related to role innovation after new relationships and negotiate Personal development refers to an
employees have been on a job for job-change requirements. The individual’s intentional changing of
six and 12 months, and positively actions of newcomers during the behavior and habits to fit the new
related to organizational commitment entry process can be viewed in part circumstances and surroundings. Role
after six months. Role innovation as manifestations of a desire to gain development refers to an individual’s
and commitment were negatively control in the new setting in order to ability to change the role to fit his
correlated at six months. The maximize performance and increase or her own requirements. Nicholson
article suggests that organizations satisfaction. Individuals entering new believed that these two processes
should be able to tailor newcomers’ work situations are thought either to were independent. The authors of this
socialization experiences to foster a change their jobs or change themselves study suggest otherwise, and using the
desired commitment-role orientation to create a better fit between the data collected from recent business
profile. To facilitate analysis, the individual and the new job. Entry school graduates they maintain that
authors build on the findings of into a new organization often requires the Nicholson model can be expanded
Jones (1986), as well as their own an individual to temporarily lose and upon by considering the effects
data from two successive graduating proactively regain feelings of control. of the new entrant’s desires as the
classes of undergraduate and graduate Individuals with a high desire for interaction between personal and role
business programs. In conclusion, the control sought more information, development rather than independent
authors find that the best predictor socialized more, networked more variables.
of role orientation, and the only one with interdepartmental colleagues,
to contribute uniquely in multiple negotiated more job changes and Ashforth, B.E., & Saks, A.M. (1996).
regression analysis, was the serial- tried to put a positive frame around Socialization tactics: Longitudinal
disjunctive dimension. An important their situations. In addition to effects on newcomer adjustment.
direction for future research will be individuals attempting to control their Academy of Management Journal, 39,
to identify the processes by which surroundings, the study supports the 149-178.
socialization tactics influence role argument that newcomers also can seek
orientation. The authors also suggest control within themselves by focusing The authors of this study examine
ways in which organizations can on how they frame their situations. the effects of the socialization tactics
facilitate and tailor their socialization Individuals who desired control were from Van Maanen and Schien’s (1979)
model and the effect of tactics on an

27

Onboarding New Employees: Maximizing Success

individual’s ability to adjust to new and Bauer, T.N., & Green, S.G. (1994). Socialization can be defined as the time
unfamiliar work surroundings. Data for The effect of newcomer involvement in during which an individual obtains new
the study were gathered from business work-related activities: A longitudinal knowledge and skills in order to become
school graduates four and 10 months study of socialization. Journal of a productive member of an organization.
after the start of a new job. Findings Applied Psychology, 79, 211-223. The authors of this study analyze the
indicate that the methods were related interaction between the newcomer
negatively to attempted and actual role This study analyzes a group of Ph.D. and the manager and how these two
innovation, role ambiguity, role conflict, students based on data compiled from individuals influence the socialization
stress symptoms and intentions to quit. the time the new students entered process. Specifically, the focus is on
The methods were positively related their doctoral program and again nine how knowledge is acquired within an
to job satisfaction, organizational months later. The authors look at the organization—whether it is as a result
commitment and organizational effects of behavior on socialization. of the new employee actively seeking
identification. In concluding the study, The findings indicate that the information or the manager providing
the authors suggest that the interaction newcomers who actively participated in information. The authors hypothesize
between the tactics and newcomer the socialization process and in work- that newcomers and employees can
adjustment variables was stable over related activities had less conflict, had work in conjunction to create a
time. In addition, they comment on increased feelings of acceptance and more accommodating entry into the
possible additions and enhancements to were more productive with greater organization. The findings of this study,
the current model and areas for future feelings of commitment toward their which included 205 newcomers, 364
research. organization. These socialization co-workers and 112 managers, conclude
activities include having realistic that proactive behavior on behalf
Ashforth, B.E., Saks, A.M., & Lee, expectations and learning about the of the newcomer was not a reliable
R.T. (1998). Socialization and organization prior to entry, attending predictor of newcomer socialization.
newcomer adjustment: The role the same institution for undergraduate The only predictor of performance,
of organizational context. Human studies and participating in doctoral job satisfaction and organizational
Relations, 51, 897-926. research. The authors conclude that commitment was accommodation, and
role ambiguity is positively related different management behavior can be
The focus of this article is to review to submissions, and the possible used to accomplish different goals in
and evaluate a model that links context, explanation for this is that the more the socialization process. Managers and
socialization and newcomer adjustment. research a student is engaged in, supervisors are an important part of
The authors also look at particular the more ambiguous his or her the socialization and accommodation
reasons that an organization might adopt role may seem. In other words, the process, and they can enable a more
particular human resource practices, a individual might not know how best successful transition for a new employee
field of study that is generally missing to spend time in the many demands into the organization.
from human resource management of a doctoral program. Organizational
research. It has generally been accepted commitment is also negatively related Bravo, M.J., Peiró, J.M., Rodriguez,
that organizations adopt HRM practices to self-confidence. Those individuals I., & Whitely, W.T. (2003). Social
based on the aggregate needs of the who are unsure of their abilities may antecedents of the role stress and
company. The authors go a step further feel that they have fewer options in career-enhancing strategies of
and also consider the best human moving forward. newcomers to organizations: A
resource practices from a contextual longitudinal study. Work & Stress, 17,
standpoint. This research views the Bauer, T.N., & Green, S.G. (1998). 195-217.
impact of socialization tactics with Testing the combined effects of
regard to three contextual variables: newcomer information seeking and This study suggests that there are two
mechanistic/organic structure, manager behavior on socialization. overriding factors that provide for
organization size and job design. Journal of Applied Psychology, 83, 72-83. a successful socialization transition:

28

Onboarding New Employees: Maximizing Success

1) socialization tactics and 2) the experience continuing socialization who were successfully integrated
behavior of managers, supervisors and information and insight into role into the organization early on in the
co-workers. The authors analyze the expectations and career progression, as socialization process. The relationship
results of initial socialization strategies opposed to experiencing inconsistent between newcomer performance and
and what effects associations with socialization. Interaction with team performance was also evaluated,
peers in the workplace have on new- superiors and networks of support and results indicated that team
employee stress levels and work-role also create feelings of acceptance into performance was an accurate predictor
performance. The findings suggest that the organization, but newcomers who of individual performance and vice
these variables have a positive impact do not receive consistent support are versa. Because group-based projects
on the socialization of newcomers. more likely to feel disconnected from are an increasingly common part of the
Creating a relationship with managers the organization as a whole. work experience, it is important for
resulted in less role ambiguity and personnel departments to understand
increased the success of work-related Chao, G.T., O’Leary-Kelly, A.M., the dynamic between individuals and
adjustment. Nurturing a relationship Wolf, S., Klein, H.J., & Gardner, P.D. teams and know how to properly
with co-workers also resulted (1994). Organizational socialization: integrate these two elements. How
in positive career enhancement. Its content and consequences. Journal a newcomer interacts and assimilates
Having initial positive socialization of Applied Psychology, 79, 730-743. into a new team is an important field
experiences in a new organization can of research and will allow for more
lead to lasting positive effects on the This article provides a review of the effective integration, ultimately leading
organization as a whole. These tactics socialization research done thus far and to a stronger and more successful
reduce stress and encourage individuals specifically looks at the relationship organization. This article more
to become actively involved with the between different strategies for specifically looks at the role of teams
strategies and the process. teaching organizational processes within the high-tech world.
and the outcomes of socialization.
Cable, D.M., & Parsons, C.K. (2001). Information about six socialization Chen, G., & Klimoski, R.J. (2003).
Socialization tactics and person- factors—proficiency, politics, language, The impact of expectations on
organization fit. Personnel Psychology, people, organizational goals and newcomer performance in teams as
54, 1-23. history—was collected from 594 full- mediated by work characteristics,
time professionals and compared with social exchanges, and empowerment.
This work provides analysis of the factors for three groups of individuals Academy of Management Journal, 46,
tactics that organizations use to create in different organizational transitions: 591-607.
a positive fit between organization those who did not change jobs, those
and new employee. The authors who began a new job within the same Because many organizations are
followed individuals for two years company and those who changed both moving toward group-focused
and collected data from a series of jobs and companies. projects and work environments,
surveys: the first distributed before it is more important than ever to
students began their job search and Chen, G. (2005). Newcomer analyze the dynamics of teams and
the last distributed 18 months after adaptation in teams: Multilevel the process of newcomer socialization
college graduation. Results indicate antecedents and outcomes. Academy of in the formation of teams. The
that two variables are associated with Management Journal, 48, 101-116. findings of this study indicate that
two types of socialization tactics: both motivational and interpersonal
newcomers’ fit perceptions and The question of how newcomers processes are accurate predictors of
changes in individual values. This change with an organization over newcomer performance in a team
study also indicates that perceptions time is addressed in this article, which environment. The authors suggest
of positive person-organization fit are studied employee performance. Results that to facilitate a smooth transition
more likely to occur when newcomers of the study indicate that performance into a team work environment, it is
improved the most for individuals

29





Onboarding New Employees: Maximizing Success

Kammeyer-Mueller, J.D., & additional important indicator of Klein, H.J., & Weaver, N.A. (2000).
Wanberg, C.R. (2003). Unwrapping turnover is the level of commitment The effectiveness of an organizational
the organizational entry process: felt toward an organization. And level orientation training program in
Disentangling multiple antecedents and finally, experiences or events occurring the socialization of new hires. Personnel
their pathways to adjustment. Journal of after entry into an organization can Psychology, 53, 47-66.
Applied Psychology, 88, 779-794. also influence turnover. An individual’s
perception of an event is more Job orientation is a form of
This article looks at several important than the nature of the event. socialization and training intended
different factors in the socialization The authors conclude by indicating to assist newcomers in becoming
adjustment process, including that further research is needed to familiar with an organization and role
knowledge of the organization, fully understand the influence that expectations. The authors of this study
newcomer personality, outside time has on turnover rates. They wonder how important voluntary
influences on role understanding, hope to stimulate movement in this orientation programs are to the
and organizational integration and direction by initiating this important success of socializing new employees.
team development. These factors and conversation. Following a group of new hires,
results were compared to such factors both before and after orientation,
as organizational commitment and Kim, T., Cable, D.M., & Kim, S. the authors found that orientation
turnover. Because turnover is so costly (2005). Socialization tactics, employee has a positive impact on conveying
to organizations, it is important to proactivity, and person-organization organizational goals, values and culture
analyze and understand the possible fit. Journal of Applied Psychology, 90, to those who attend orientation when
influences on newcomer retention. 232-241. compared with those individuals who
Results indicate that individuals with do not attend the orientation session.
a proactive personality are more likely This article looks at the influences They also found that orientation
to experience a successful adjustment that proactive behavior has on the training positively affects an employee’s
into the organization, leading to socialization process and whether commitment to an organization.
greater role acceptance, integration employee behavior results in changes Because these programs are one of
and knowledge of the workings of the in the person-organization fit. the primary vehicles for conveying
organization as a whole. Person-organization (P-O) fit refers important organizational culture and
to the suitability of an employee for information, it is suggested that further
Kammeyer-Mueller, J.D., Wanberg, a job or a task. Obviously, P-O fit is in-depth research is needed on this
C.R., Glomb, T.M., & Ahlburg, inherently important for the success subject matter.
D. (2005). Turnover processes in a of an organization, but the challenge
temporal context: It’s about time. comes in finding individuals who are Louis, M.R., Posner, B.Z., & Powell,
Journal of Applied Psychology, 90, 644- best suited for a position. The authors G.N. (1983). The availability and
658. of this study conclude that proactive helpfulness of socialization practices.
behavior is at least as important Personnel Psychology, 36, 857-866.
The authors of this study attempt to as the socialization tactics of an
analyze turnover in the context of organization. Newcomers who seek The authors of this study analyze
time and explain that when viewed in out and create meaningful relationships different socialization tactics available
this way, there are several consistent with supervisors attain high levels of to employees and indentify tactics
predictors of employee turnover. The P-O fit and are as successful as the that are viewed by newcomers as most
article begins by describing the main organization’s socialization tactics in important and beneficial during the
predictors and the relationship they creating a positive fit. transition into a new organization.
have within an organizational setting. Because the socialization process can
One of the most reliable predictors affect the subsequent performance
of turnover is the perception of costs of a new employee, and because
on the part of the newcomer. An there are both direct and indirect

32

Onboarding New Employees: Maximizing Success

costs associated with the socialization mitigate turnover intentions, and new Meyer, J.P., & Allen, N.J. (1988).
process, it is important to understand employees who held a high level of Links between work experiences
which practices are effective and clarity expectation had a greater rate and organizational commitment
produce desirable results and which of turnover than those individuals with during the first year of employment:
practices are less beneficial. This article unmet clarity expectations. A longitudinal analysis. Journal of
reviews several different socialization Occupational Psychology, 61, 195-209.
tactics and discusses which are most Maier, G., & Brunstein, J.C. (2001).
influential on a newcomer’s attitude. The role of personal work goals in The authors of this study explore
Results of the study indicate that newcomers’ job satisfaction and individual work commitment at
regular contact and relationships with organizational commitment: A different points in the year following
co-workers are an important factor in longitudinal analysis. Journal of student graduation. Findings
the success of socializing employees Applied Psychology, 86, 1034-1042. indicate that employees who had
and subsequent commitment and the most accurate organizational
satisfaction. The authors suggest that This study looks at the relationship and role expectations prior to entry
a mentor program can be beneficial between an individual’s organizational and those with the greatest ability
to new employees and can increase goals and their effect on a for self-expression had the highest
organizational commitment. new employee’s work attitude. level of organizational commitment.
Establishing job goals can create Because organizational behavior has
Major, D.A., Kozlowski, S.W.J., Chao, feelings of satisfaction, structure been closely linked to turnover, it is
G.T., & Gardner, P.D. (1995). A and organizational commitment. important to understand the drivers
longitudinal investigation of newcomer The findings of this study indicate of commitment and the variables
expectations, early socialization that a relationship exists between that motivate an individual to stay
outcomes, and the moderating effects goal commitment and levels of new or leave an organization. This article
of role development factors. Journal of employee satisfaction. Newcomers who analyzes the influence of the individual,
Applied Psychology, 80, 418-431. felt their organization was conducive the job within the organization and
to their career goals and objectives organizational characteristics to gain
Because expectations are not always felt a higher level of organizational a better understanding of why an
an accurate description of one’s commitment. As might be expected, the employee feels commitment toward
actual role function, it is important to opposite was also true: those individuals an organization. In conclusion, the
understand the consequences of unmet who had specific goals but felt that their authors find that self-expression
expectations. The authors of this study organization did not create the proper warrants further analysis, but
go one step further, and rather than conditions to attain those goals had a preliminary results indicate that this
simply explaining the consequences lower level of commitment. To maintain variable is an important indicator of
of unmet expectations, such as lack of commitment over time, it is important newcomer turnover.
commitment and increased turnover, that individuals reach a level of goal
they discuss possible ways to mitigate success in the workplace. In conclusion, Morrison, E.W. (1993a). Longitudinal
the negative impact of a newcomer’s the authors explain that individuals have study of the effects of information
unmet expectations. This study a strong affinity to create their own seeking on newcomer socialization.
suggests that negative effects can at socialization tactics. Newcomers who Journal of Applied Psychology, 78, 173-
least partially be alleviated by involving enter an organization with specific goals 183.
supervisors and co-workers in the evaluate their organizational experiences
role development process. Working in based on the ability to achieve their This article analyzes the connection
groups and teams can create a system personal goals. between new employee socialization
of support and lessen the negative tactics and proactive information-
effects of unmet role expectations. seeking. Such strategies on the part of
However, this form of support did not the newcomer can accelerate and assist
the transition into an organization.

33

Onboarding New Employees: Maximizing Success

More than 100 accountants were commitment toward an organization, such as job structure, strategies and
followed. The more frequently and role expectations and individual group culture, the author of this article
persistently an individual sought out attitude. Although the importance begins to ask questions about the rate
information regarding his or her role of these relationships has been at which new employees move beyond
and specific job expectations, the understood for some time, the exact the initial stages of socialization and
quicker and more successfully the nature of the relationship remains the types of interactions that help
person was able to assimilate, become relatively unknown. What types of facilitate this process. A relatively quick
comfortable in the organization’s relationships are most beneficial to socialization period is desirable for
culture and fully embrace the the socialization process? The author both the organization and the new
socialization process. analyzes relationships with both strong employee. An individual ready to move
and loose ties, as well as those that beyond the socialization process means
Morrison, E.W. (1993b). Newcomer are diverse and homogeneous, in an that job anxiety is reduced, and the
information seeking: Exploring attempt to understand the socialization focus can be on job performance—and
types, modes, sources, and outcomes. process from the perspective of the for an organization it means increased
Academy of Management Journal, 36, social network. productivity. In conclusion, the article
557-589. suggests that organizations may be able
Ostroff, C., & Kozlowski, S.W.J. to increase the speed of socialization
This study addresses the limitations (1992). Organizational socialization by initiating interaction between
of previous socialization research as a learning process: The role of new employees and insiders by
strategies, in that the author takes information acquisition. Personnel creating a mentor system, conducting
into account the fact that newcomers Psychology, 45, 849-874. performance evaluations and setting up
are engaged individuals who actively social activities, among others.
seek out information about their The authors of this study wanted to
organization and the environment find out what type of information Reio, T.G., & Callhan, J.L. (2004).
they will be entering. New employees acquisition newcomers go through Affect, curiosity, and socialization-
are an important factor in the during the socialization process. related learning: A path analysis of
success or failure of the socialization Results indicate that new employees antecedents to job performance.
process. Individuals who actively seek rely on co-workers and supervisors Journal of Business and Psychology, 19,
information about their organization as valuable knowledge centers. The 3-22.
are generally found to successfully type of information an individual is
experience socialization. It was found seeking was found to determine whom How an individual’s emotions
that newcomers discriminately seek the newcomer approaches. Because such as anxiety and anger influence
out information from different sources the socialization process is vital to the the socialization learning process is
depending on their objective. long-term success of an organization, the focus of this article. Data were
it is valuable to understand how collected from over 200 employees
Morrison, E.M. (2002). Newcomers’ newcomers acquire pieces of in service industries, and anxiety was
relationships: The role of social information. Information-seeking was found to negatively influence curiosity,
network ties during socialization. found to be at least as important as the organizational learning and job
Academy of Management Journal, 45, formal socialization process. performance, while anger was a positive
1149-1160. influence on these same elements.
Reichers, A.E. (1987). An Because these emotions are such a
This article looks at the correlation interactionist perspective on newcomer determinant of job performance and
between the socialization process and socialization rates. Academy of outlook, the authors suggest ways to
how it is affected by relationships. Management Review, 12, 278-287. mitigate the negative effects through
Relationships between new employees specific job learning processes and, as a
and their peers and supervisors Because socialization research has result, influence overall job satisfaction.
have an effect on an individual’s largely focused on situational factors,

34

Onboarding New Employees: Maximizing Success

Riordan, C.M., Weatherly, E.W., socialized more successfully with entry. For example, individuals with a
Vandenberg, R.J., & Self, R.M. (2001). the support of a social network and lower level of self-efficacy were more
The effects of pre-entry experiences relationships with co-workers and influenced by training processes than
and socialization tactics on newcomer supervisors whom the newcomer can those individuals who entered the
attitudes and turnover. Journal of turn to with questions and requests for organization with higher levels of self-
Managerial Issues, 13, 159-176. information. Many organizations fail in efficacy.
this regard because of the existence of
Pre-entry experiences can and do several common myths. For example, Saks, A.M., & Ashforth, B.E. (1996).
influence a newcomer’s perspective managers often believe that the Proactive socialization and behavioral
of the organization that he or she is best new employees will be fine on self-management. Journal of Vocational
getting ready to join. The selection their own, that simply disseminating Behavior, 48, 301-323.
process is considered to be part of information allows the employee access
the socialization phase, during which to what he or she needs, and that new Entering a new organization can lead
an individual begins to form views of employees will be able to successfully to feelings of uncertainty and tension.
the organization. This article analyzes sift through the given information. The authors continue the study of
pre-entry and post-entry socialization Many managers also believe that self-management in the socialization
tactics and experiences together introductions to co-workers are all that process, finding that emotions such as
and the influence they have on a is needed to make a newcomer feel anxiety, tension and stress are related
newcomer’s work-related attitudes. comfortable. Clinging to these myths to a newcomer’s ability to adjust to a
The recruitment and training processes will often lead to longer periods for a new role and organizational norms.
are costly for organizations, and so it is new employee to become a productive Emotions also related to an individual’s
in the best interest of an organization member of the organization. relationship management ability.
to understand the most successful The findings of this study, which are
way for a newcomer to integrate into Saks, A.M. (1995). Longitudinal field consistent with previous research,
an organization and its culture. The investigation of the moderating and indicate that there is a relationship
authors suggest that socialization mediating effects of self-efficacy on between a newcomer’s ability to cope
tactics should be associated with the relationship between training and and his or her active versus passive
the attitudes of the newcomer as newcomer adjustment. Journal of participation in the socialization
well as a newcomer’s perception of Applied Psychology, 80, 211-225. process. Active participation includes
work satisfaction, intent to stay and information-seeking, goal-setting and
organizational commitment. Self-efficacy is one’s ability to become a self-management. Individuals who are
productive member of an organization active in their socialization process
Rollag, K., Parise, S., & Cross, R. and to properly accomplish a given generally have reduced feelings of
(2005). Getting new hires up to speed task within that organization. The uncertainty and general anxiety.
quickly. MIT Sloan Management purpose of this article is to analyze
Review, 46, 35-41. the relationship between self-efficacy Saks, A.M., & Ashforth, B.E. (1997).
and the socialization process and the Organizational socialization: Making
Rapid onboarding is the process effect of self-efficacy on employees sense of past and present as a prologue
by which new employees become during the first year after employment. for the future. Journal of Vocational
contributing and productive members The study focused on attitudes Behavior, 51, 234-279.
of an organization. This is of vital and behaviors with regard to one’s
interest because if an individual job and the resulting levels of self- The 1990s were a period of rapid
does not successfully become efficacy. Findings indicate that there growth in the field of organizational
integrated into the system, feelings is a correlation between socialization socialization. This article reviews
of job dissatisfaction and decreased tactics and a newcomer’s perceptions the culmination of research from
performance can result. This article and level of self-efficacy prior to the previous five years. Patterns and
suggests that employees will become trends in the field of study are covered,

35

Onboarding New Employees: Maximizing Success

as well as the major theoretical theory that the situation rather than indicate that newcomers predominantly
perspectives. The major areas of focus an individual’s personality is a better use referents from inside their
are socialization tactics, socialization predictor. organization rather than from outside
training, socialization learning and the organization. Interestingly,
content, group socialization, and Saks, A. M., Uggerslev, K. L., & newcomers associated the use of
moderators, mediators and individual Fassina, N. E. (2007). Socialization referents with a negative perception
differences. In conclusion, the authors tactics and newcomer adjustment: of their own performance. Possible
address possible areas for further A meta-analytic review and test of a explanations might be that individuals
exploration. Research has positively model. Journal of Vocational Behavior, view information-seeking from outside
contributed to the understanding 70, 413-446. sources as a weakness. Newcomers
of how newcomers adjust to new might be concerned that using
organizational situations and their This article discusses the importance referents could be viewed as a sign
ability to become productive members and effectiveness of socialization of weakness or that they should have
of that organization. The socialization tactics on the process and success of prior knowledge of this information.
process has been found to decrease onboarding. The authors attempt to The authors conclude that because
stress and contribute to increased levels speak to the limitations of socialization socializing new employees is so vital
of job satisfaction. strategies and suggest other possible to the success of an organization,
theories. Findings of this study understanding information-seeking
Saks, A.M., & Ashforth, B.E. (2000). indicate that there is a relatively strong behavior is central to newcomer
The role of dispositions, entry relationship between socialization adjustment.
stressors, and behavioral plasticity tactics and a new employee’s ability to
theory in predicting newcomers’ successfully adjust to an organization Sias, P.M., Kramer, M.K., &
adjustment to work. Journal of and the organization’s culture. Jenkins, E. (1997). A comparison
Organizational Behavior, 21, 43-62. of the communication behaviors of
Settoon, R.P., & Adkins, C.L. (1997). temporary employees and new hires.
Because individuals react differently to Newcomer socialization: The role of Communication Research, 24, 731-754.
similar circumstances, to successfully supervisors, coworkers, friends and
predict behavior one must consider family members. Journal of Business & The information-seeking behaviors
both the context of the situation and Psychology, 11, 507-516. of temporary employees versus new
the organizational factors influencing hires is the topic of discussion for
the newcomer. The objective of this The authors of this article explore the these authors. Research suggests
article is to examine environmental use of referents by new employees that compared with permanent
factors in relation to a new employee’s in the decision-making process. employees, temporary employees
ability to successfully and effectively Individuals were surveyed at different are less concerned with creating a
adjust to his or her new role. The intervals after initial entry into a new positive impression and image with
authors studied self-efficacy in relation organization. Findings show that supervisors and, as a result, seek
to four job-related stressors—including depending on the amount of time information less frequently than those
conflict and expectations—and the that has passed since entry into an hired permanently. In addition, these
ability to predict a newcomer’s capacity organization, newcomers use different individuals are less likely to provide
for adjustment. The conclusion of the groups for reference. At the time of information to others and are therefore
study indicates that there is minimal the first survey, which was the closest more likely to find themselves isolated
support for the role of personality point after hire, newcomers most in terms of communication and
and behavioral plasticity theory routinely used friends and family as information. Temporary employees
in successfully predicting a new referents, and at the time of the second lack a connection to their organization
employee’s ability to adjust to work. survey, individuals had begun to use and their role within the organization.
The study results also support the co-workers and supervisors as referents It is suggested that this lack of
for decision-making. Overall, results

36





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