Orientation

Objective

The recruitment process does not end when:
(a) we have completed the final test on newly hired employees,
(b) we have their offers of employment signed back to the company,
(c) they arrive for their first day of work

All our efforts and “best practices” in planning, recruiting, selecting and hiring will be for naught if these new employees are not properly oriented.

Research has shown that an effectively run orientation program can have a long-term positive impact on employees’ commitment and job performance³¹. Once a candidate becomes an employee and begins work, a process called socialization begins. This process involves how employees learn about and adapt to new jobs, roles and the culture of the workplace. An effective orientation program is designed to socialize the new employee positively. The objective of Orientation is:

An effective orientation program is designed to “socialize” the new employee positively.

Through a process of company-directed education, coaching and experience, to socialize new employees positively in expected norms, values and behaviours that will contribute to the achievement of the company’s goals and provide for a fulfilling and satisfactory work experience.

Although this objective may sound like “mind control” or “brain washing,” it has to be realized that all new employees go through socialization. The challenge for companies is to determine how best to influence and direct that process so that their goals are achieved and employees have maximum opportunity to derive long-term employment and a high level of personal satisfaction from their work.

³¹ The Effectiveness of an Organization-Level Orientation Training Program in the Socialization of New Hires” by Howard Klein and Natasha Weaver. Personnel Psychology. 2000. Vol. 53.