Organizational Socialization: Stages, Content, and Retention
Socialization Concept
Socialization is the process through which an individual learns the values, skills, expected behaviors, and social knowledge necessary to take on an organizational role and participate as a member. (Louis, 1980, pp. 229-230).
It’s also the process through which a new employee transitions from an outsider to an internal member, whether entering a new organization or moving to a different role within the same organization. (Cooper-Thomas & Anderson, 2006).
Socialization: Various Plans
Socialization includes learning about the organizational culture, specific job-related issues, the political landscape of the organization, and the typical language used within the position and/or the organization.
Pre-socialization
- Individuals begin learning about the organization even before applying or having direct contact.
- Some organizations create pre-socialization projects to identify individuals who are a good fit for their culture and needs.
Socialization Begins Before Reception
Socialization starts before individuals officially join the organization.
- During recruitment and selection, through information gathered, the image of the job/organization formed, recruitment notices, and interviewer information.
- Even before recruitment/selection, individuals form impressions of organizations through media, company websites, etc.
- The organization’s reputation is crucial, and efforts should be made to build and maintain it.
- However, avoid creating unrealistic expectations for potential candidates to prevent post-hire shock and employee turnover.
Integration problems are a primary reason for voluntary employee departures in the first few months.
Three Stages in the Socialization Process
Pre-entrance: “Mutual Attraction”
- Individuals have a prior image of the organization.
- Individuals are partially socialized through school/university.
- First contacts are made.
Meeting: “Dating”
- Mutual knowledge and adjustment occur.
- Comparison between prior expectations and the reality of the company.
- First disappointments/satisfactions are experienced.
Metamorphosis: “Marriage”
- Understanding the organization’s cultural system.
- Becoming a “full” organizational member.
- Comfort in relationships.
- Mutual acceptance.
- Full integration into the group.
Initial Orientation / Integration Programs [Induction]
- This is the process of welcoming a new employee, integrating them into the organization, and familiarizing them with the culture and operations.
- It should not be confused with socialization, as it is only a small part of it.
- It is an extension of the quasi-induction provided during recruitment/selection.
- It occurs on both formal and informal levels.
Usual Phases:
Official welcome; meeting with the boss and colleagues; documentation filing; information on policies, procedures, rules, and disciplinary aspects; facility tour; introduction to duties and responsibilities; follow-up.
It may take a week or two, but the duration depends on the job and organizational intentions. It can extend over several months with training to acculturate and develop necessary skills.
Contents of Socialization: What Individuals Learn
1. Knowledge about the history of the group / organization
- Familiarity with the history of the group/department.
- Knowledge of customs, rituals, ceremonies, and celebrations.
- Understanding of organizational traditions.
2. Knowledge of the language typical of the group / organization
- Mastery of organizational jargon.
- Understanding of specialized terminology and vocabulary.
- Knowledge of special word meanings and job-specific jargon.
- Understanding of abbreviations and acronyms.
3. Knowledge of the political arena of the group / organization
- Understanding of “how things really work.”
- Knowledge of influential people.
- Understanding of the political landscape.
- Knowing how to get desirable job assignments.
- Understanding the underlying motives of others.
- Identifying key people to get things done.
4. Interpersonal relationships
- Building friendly relationships with coworkers.
- Being included in the organization’s social networks.
- Being considered a member of the group.
- Being liked by most colleagues.
5. Knowledge about organizational values and goals
- Being a good example of an employee representing the organization.
- Fitting well into the organization.
- Believing in the organization’s values.
- Supporting the organization’s goals.
- Aligning personal objectives with organizational goals.
- Understanding the organization’s goals.
6. Expertise / performance
- Learning to perform successfully and efficiently.
- Understanding responsibilities/duties.
- Mastering assigned tasks.
- Developing skills and competencies for successful performance.
The Best Socialized Individuals
- Adjust more quickly and effectively to jobs/organization.
- Stay longer in the organization.
- Develop higher levels of performance.
- Have faster career development.
- Demonstrate greater affective and normative commitment.
Voluntary Departures of Organizational Members and Retention
Some of the Possible Factors
1. Job Market
- High employment rates and employee shortages lead to competing companies attracting employees with better conditions.
- Lack of training and career advancement opportunities drives employees to seek better opportunities elsewhere.
2. Organization / Department / Team
- Lack of organizational support for employee well-being.
- Limited opportunities for learning and personal development.
- Low or unfair salaries compared to other organizations.
- Unfair reward systems.
- Unfair promotion procedures.
- Unfavorable social climate.
- Difficulty reconciling work/family life.
- Unequal distribution of dividends.
- Unmet expectations created during recruitment and selection.
- Organizational culture that hinders participation.
3. Job Characteristics
- Routine, repetitive, and boring job.
- Uninteresting job from a skills perspective.
- Job lacks status.
- Dangerous job.
- Stressful job causing health problems.
- Lack of autonomy.
- Feeling unfit for the job.
- High salary but unchallenging role.
4. Person Characteristics and Their Relation with the Organization
- Changes in life course (e.g., marriage).
- Graduation without corresponding job opportunities.
- Health problems.
- Lack of loyalty to the organization.
- Adventurous spirit.
- Incongruent values with the organizational culture.
- Feeling victimized in performance appraisals.
- Experiencing sexual harassment.
- Feeling disrespected as an individual.
5. Leadership
- Autocratic/authoritarian leader.
- Unfair, unworthy, and disrespectful treatment by the leader.
- Lack of trust in the leader.
- Lack of open and honest communication with management.
- Incompetent leader.
- Emotionally “toxic” leader.
- Inadequate explanation for decisions regarding employee work.
Perverse Effects of Voluntary Exits
- Loss of talented employees.
- Recruitment/selection costs for new employees.
- Loss of investment in learning, requiring repetition with new hires.
- Low productivity of new employees initially.
- Loss of social capital.
- Instability and loss of confidence among remaining employees.
- Subsequent departures of close colleagues.
- Possible increase in compensation costs.
- Customers following departing employees.
- Less favorable client impressions due to frequent employee changes.
- Potential loss of market credibility.
- Difficulty executing long-term strategies.
Benefits of Voluntary Exits
- Opportunity to hire more qualified individuals.
- Promotion opportunities for remaining employees.
- New employees bring fresh perspectives, skills, and problem-solving approaches.
- Improved organizational culture as those who don’t fit tend to leave.
- Potential decrease in labor costs if new hires are at a lower cost.
Examples of Retention Methods
- Organizational climate studies to identify causes of dissatisfaction.
- Building a good reputation through social responsibility actions.
- Changing recruitment and selection procedures.
- Redesigning workstations/reviewing job content and frameworks.
- Adjusting jobs to align with employee motivations, interests, and values.
- Reviewing compensation to increase retention.
- Offering various benefits.
- Providing stock options.
- Introducing work-family reconciliation actions.
- Creating social bonds between employees (e.g., investment clubs, sports leagues) to develop embeddedness.
Embeddedness – Three Dimensions
Stronger links, better fit, and higher sacrifices for exit increase employee attachment to the organization.
Embeddedness is the psychological “vest” that links a person to the organizational environment, inhibiting them from quitting.
- Fit: Compatibility between the individual and the job, organization, and community (e.g., values compatibility, ability to fulfill professional goals).
- Links: Formal and informal connections with coworkers, neighbors, and families.