LO6 - Organizational Socialization

• organizational socialization


  The process by which individuals learn the values, expected behaviours, and social knowledge necessary

  to assume their roles in the organization.
• Learning Process of Organizational Socialization:​

  • Newcomers develop organizational comprehension.​
  • Learn about expectations, power dynamics, culture, jargon.​
  • Form social relationships.
• Adjustment Process of Organizational Socialization:

  • Newcomers adapt to new work setting.​
  • Develop new work roles/social identity.​
  • Adopt new team norms/behaviours.​
  • Newcomers with diverse work experience adjust better.
• psychological contract


  The individual’s beliefs about the terms and conditions of a

  reciprocal exchange agreement between that person and another party (typically an employer).
• Types of Psychological Contracts

  1. Transactional contracts

  2. Relational contracts
• Transactional contracts


  • Short-term economic exchanges.​
  • Well-defined responsibilities.
• Relational contracts


  • Long-term attachments.​
  • Broad range of mutual obligations.
• Stages of Organizational Socialization​

  
• reality shock 


  The stress that results when employees perceive discrepancies between their pre-employment expectations and on-the-job reality.
• Pre-employment socialization (outsider)


  • Learn about the organization and job

  • Form employment relationship expectations
• Encounter (newcomer)


  • Test expectations against perceived realities
• Role management (insider)


  • Strengthen work relationships

  • Practise new role behaviours

  • Resolve work– nonwork conflicts
• Socialization outcomes


  • Higher motivation

  • Higher loyalty

  • Higher satisfaction

  • Lower stress

  • Lower turnover
• realistic job preview (RJP)


  A method of improving organizational socialization in which job applicants are given a balance of positive and negative information about the job and work context.
• Socialization agents:​

  • Supervisors - Technical information, performance feedback, job duties.​
  • Co-workers: ​ - Ideal when accessible, role models, tolerant, and supportive.