Employee Orientation and

socialization
Starting a new job can be a stressful experience for new employees.
They are in an unfamiliar work environment surrounded by people
they do not know. They need to establish relationships and learn
new behaviors, facts, procedures, expectations, and values. They
may also experience surprises, such as the emotional impact of
greater responsibility, the difficulty of adjusting to a new work
schedule, and the need to "unlearn" things that helped them
succeed in previous settings.
Employee orientation and socialization programs are designed
to help new employees overcome these challenges and make a
smooth transition to their new roles. Its purpose is to facilitate a
positive start for new employees by addressing the challenges and
uncertainties they face when joining a new organization.
Employee orientation and socialization is the process of
introducing new employees to the organization and its culture. It is
an important step in helping new employees to adjust to their new
roles and become productive members of the team.

Major objectives of employee orientation:

• Gain employee commitment - Employees are more likely to be
committed to an organization if they understand its mission,
vision, values, and goals. Orientation should provide new
employees with this information and help them to see how their
work contributes to the organization's success.
• Reduce employee anxiety: Starting a new job can be stressful
for employees. Orientation can help to reduce employee anxiety
by providing them with information about the organization's
policies and procedures, as well as introducing them to their new
colleagues and supervisors.

• Help employees understand the organization's expectations:

Orientation should help new employees to understand what is
expected of them in their new roles. This includes their job
responsibilities, performance standards, and the organization's
code of conduct.
Employee orientation and socialization is not a one-time event. It is
an ongoing process that helps new employees to learn and grow in
their roles. Organizations should provide new employees with
opportunities to learn about the organization's culture and values, to
develop their skills and knowledge, and to build relationships with
their colleagues.
Organizational roles
Are the positions and responsibilities that individuals hold within
an organization. They are defined by the tasks that the individual is
responsible for completing and the authority that they have.
Organizational roles can be formal or informal, and they can be
temporary or permanent.
Organizational roles can be classified into three dimensions: social,
functional, and hierarchical.

• Social dimension: This dimension refers to the individual's status

within the organization, such as outsider, probationary employee,
or permanent employee.
• Functional dimension: This dimension refers to the type of work
that the individual performs, such as sales, engineering, or plant
operations.
• Hierarchical dimension: This dimension refers to the individual's
rank within the organization, such as line employee, supervisor,
middle manager, or officer.
Examples:
Social dimension: Probationary employee
Functional dimension: Software engineer
Hierarchical dimension: Line employee

This example describes a software engineer who is new to the

company and has not yet been fully integrated into the organization.
They are still on trial and may be terminated if they do not meet
performance expectations. They are also a line employee, meaning
that they do not have any supervisory responsibilities.
Example:
Social dimension: Permanent employee
Functional dimension: Sales representative
Hierarchical dimension: Middle manager

This example describes a sales representative who has been with

the company for some time and has been offered a permanent
position. They are also a middle manager, meaning that they
supervise a team of other sales representatives.