A new employees’ first experiences at an organization are critical events that determine the extent to which they will be an engaged and productive member of the team. Research studies show that effective socialization programs have been linked to better job attitudes, increased performance and lower turnover (Bauer et al., 2007).
One primary goal of this period is to reduce the uncertainty newcomers might feel through providing relevant and timely information, structured experiences, and opportunities to socialize with other employees and supervisors. These opportunities also provide important intangible benefits to newcomers, like making them feel part of the team, boosting confidence and clarity around work tasks, and ultimately facilitating better adjustment and engagement in their new role.
As a researcher, I view this phase as a pivotal launching point that can set new employees up on a positive trajectory toward engagement, well-being, and performance. I am interested in identifying the challenges and opportunities critical to this process, including, for example, the role of organizational insiders.
Click here to see my research cited in Harvard Business Review and Wall Street Journal.
Recent Projects:
See the results of a recent survey of new hires I conducted in collaboration with TalentLMS, Satisfaction with Onboarding: What New Hires Want in 2018
Recent peer-reviewed research:
Ellis, A., Nifadkar, S. S., Bauer, T. N., & Erdogan, B. (2017). Newcomer adjustment: Examining the role of managers’ perception of newcomer proactive behavior during organizational socialization. Journal of Applied Psychology, 102, 993-1001; http://psycnet.apa.org/buy/2017-10515-001
Ellis, A. M., Bauer, T. N., Mansfield, L., Erdogan, B., Truxillo, D. M., & Simon, L. (2015). Navigating uncharted waters: Newcomer socialization through the lens of stress theory. Journal of Management, 41, 203-235; http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0149206314557525
Allison M. Ellis 