Targeted Socialization more

Targeted Socialization Running head: TARGETED SOCIALIZATION 1 Targeted Socialization Dean Call Bellevue University Advanced Organizational Behavior MBA 633 Dr. Thomas Targeted Socialization The article “Getting New Hires Up to Speed Quickly” discusses the need for new employees to “hit the ground running” and the necessity for managers to ensure that the new hire is given every opportunity to succeed. This need is compounded by the employee turn over rate and the rapidly changing landscape both internal and external of companies. “…Newcomers are typically a drain on productivity…on average the time for new hires to achieve full productivity ranged from eight weeks for clerical jobs to 20 weeks for professionals to more than 26 weeks for executives…” (Rollag et al., 2005, p. 35). This is now totally unacceptable, companies can no longer afford to wait six months or more while their newly hired executive learns the ropes and establishes contacts. The rapid and effective socialization of these new employees is critical to the success of the company. To this end, many companies have begun targeting the socialization of new hires to ensure that they develop the contacts and safety network required to perform in their position. Typical indoctrinations involve a data dump of company policies, history and vision, followed by a quick tour and drive by introductions of those present when the employee is shown around. Most employee’s are even barraged with “John sits here, but he is out today”, to add to the confusion. This provides a new employee no context to associate an employee to his relative importance. “Most organizations use formal orientation training as part of the socialization process (Saks & Ashforth, 1997a), making it one of the most common types of training programs (Bassi & Van Buren, 1998). Despite their widespread use, there has been little research on orientation training programs (Wanous, 1993). The practitioner literature provides examples of companies thought to do a good job with orientation training (e.g., Martinez, 1992; McGarrell, 1984) but there is surprisingly little in the academic literature examining the impact or most appropriate structure of these programs. Louis et al. (1983) concluded that "the impact of these sessions was somewhat tenuous" (p. 865) and other authors have questioned the usefulness of orientation training programs in fostering newcomer adjustment (e.g., Anderson et al., 1996; Ostroff & Kozlowski, 1992). A few studies (e.g., Gommersall & Meyers, 1966; Meglino, DeNisi, Youngblood, & Williams, 1988; Waung, 1995) have evaluated the impact of specific elements in orientation programs (e.g., reducing stress, providing realistic job previews) but those elements focus on the job or work environment, not the broader organization.”(Klein, 2000, p. 48). To effectively socialize the new employee companies now typically assign each new hire a “buddy”. This buddy provides the new hire with a non-management point of contact. This buddy also provides a means to be introduced to other members of the organization and serves as a sort of guide to the new hire. References Klein, H. J. (2000). The Effectivness of an organizational-level orientation training program in the socialization of new hires. Personnel Psychology, 53, pp. 47-66. Rollag, K., Parise, S., & Cross, R. (2005, Winter). Getting new hires up to speed quickly. MITSloan Management Review, 46(2), pp. 35- 41.