Efforts should be made to integrate the person into informal organization in order to minimize the anxiety that new employees may experience.
Socialization is the initial T & D effort designed for employees, which is the guided adjustment for new employees to the job, the business organization and the work group.
Stages in Socialization Process
There are three stages of socialization process which are as follow.
- Pre-arrival Stage
This stage clearly acknowledges that every person arrives with the attitudes, organizational values and expectations.
For example, in several jobs specifically managerial and high skill jobs, new persons will have gone through a higher extent of prior socialization in school & training.
See Also: Types of Job Interviews
However, pre-arrival socialization goes beyond the particular job. To inform prospective employees about the organization as a whole, the selection process is used in most organizations.
- Encounter Stage
New members enter the encounter stage upon entry into the organization. Here the persons face the dichotomy between their expectations about their coworkers, their supervisors, their jobs and the organization in reality & general. However, all the expectation differences cannot be solved by socialization.
- Metamorphosis Stage
In this final stage, the new member must struggle any issues observed during the encounter stage. This may intend going through alteration.
Therefore, the last stage is known as metamorphosis. When the new members become comfortable with their work teams & the organization, metamorphosis is complete as is socialization process.
Norms of organization & coworkers are being internalized by new members in this situation. These norms are understood & accept by them.
New members will consider accepted by their peers as valued & trusted persons. They will understand not only their own duties but also the procedures, rules and accepted practices as well. Finally they will understand how they should be measured.
They have better understanding of the expectation associated with them along with what forms good job. The employee productivity & employee commitment is positively influenced in the metamorphosis stage along with no chances of employee leaving the organization any time soon.
Purposes of Socialization
Socialization formats are unique to every business organization. However, following are some of basic purposes of socialization.
- The Employment Situation
From the business organization’s viewpoint, the fundamental aim is to have new employee become productive as rapidly as possible. Therefore at an early point in time, particular information about doing the job may be provided.
- Business Organization’s Policies & Rules
Within organization, each job must be done viewing the constraints & guidelines given by policies & rules. In order to permit smooth transition to workplace, employees must have understanding of these.
- Compensation & Benefits
In getting information about the reward system, employees will have a special interest. Although this information is generally given during the selection & recruitment process, a reexamine of the information is suitable during socialization.
- Corporate Culture
Corporate culture relates to everything from the manner employee talk to the manner they dress.
- Team Membership
Before a new employee is hired, the willingness and ability of that employee is likely to ascertain. In socialization, the significance of getting worthy member of the business organization team may be emphasized.
- Employee Development
Employees should know properly what is required by the business organization for progress in the job or through promotion.
- Dealing with Change
In order to survive in their jobs, employees at all levels must learn to properly deal with alteration. To continually develop and expand their skills is the best way individuals can prepare for change.
Many People Socialize New Hires
The activities included in the introduction of a new employee to his or her work unit and the organization is referring to a new employee socialization or orientation.
Who is responsible for new employee orientation? This can be performed by people in HRM, supervisor, CEO, peers or combination of any of these.
- HRM Department
In order to socialize the newly hired employees with the working environment of the business organization, HRM department can conduct the orientation.
HRM play the main role of coordination in the new employee orientation by ensuring that suitable elements are in place.
Furthermore, HRM function as participant in the program. HRM should instruct the new employee when to report to work as job offers are made & accepted.
See Also: Environmental Factors Affecting Selection Process
HRM must be ready to manage some of the more routine requirements of the new employees before the new employees formally arrive.
- Supervisor
Employees of particular department can also be informed by their supervisor about the procedures, rules, culture and policies of the organization.
Often in smaller organizations orientation may be consider as new employee reports to the supervisor and the supervisor give the duty to some other old employee to introduce new employee to his coworkers. The new employee is moved to different departments and parts of the organization.
- Peers
Orientation function can also be performed by peers and coworkers of new employee in order to tell the requirements of the organization & expectations of the employer and can answer the questions asked from the employee side.
- Organizational Culture
The dos and don’ts of an organization can be express by its own organizational culture. Every business organization has its own specific culture. This culture contains longstanding and mostly unwritten regulations & rules.
Topics Covered in Employee Orientation Programs
In socialization or orientation process, following topics are covered.
- Introduction
Regarding the supervisors, the organization, coworkers, trainers and to system.
- Job Duties
Job related information is given by it like job tasks, job location, job safety requirements, job goals relationship to other jobs and overview of job.
- Organizational Issues
Information about overall organization is given by this. It may contain organization of employer, history of employer, employee’s titles & departments, titles of key executive, layout of physical facilities, overview of production process, probationary period, Company policies & rules, Employee handbook, disciplinary regulations and safety procedures etc.
- Employee Benefits
Information about the benefits is given by this part that is offered by the organization. It includes vacations rest break, pay scales & paydays, training & education benefits, housing facilities, counseling, insurance benefits, employee-provided services for employees, retirement program and rehabilitation program.
