Socialization Processes, prepared by instructor Wanda J. Barreto for Goodwin College, East Hartford CT

1. Week 4
Chapter 7

2.  Models of organizational socialization
 Content of socialization
 Communication processes
 Role development processes – LMX
 Organizational Exit

3. Objective
By the end of the class you will be able to…
1. Identify socialization processes that
influence individual’s adaptation to
organizations.

4. Models of Socialization
 Assimilation
Ongoing behavior and cognitive
processes by which individuals join,
become integrated into, and exit
organizations.
- Socialization
- Individualization

5. Models of Socialization
 Socialization
Organization tries to influence the new
hire to adapt to and adopt the way they
do things around the workplace using
formal and informal processes.

6. Socialization Example
 How to greet
customers
 Physical
appearance
 Language

7. Models of Socialization
 While this is
happening, the new
employee tries to
change some aspects
of the procedures to
satisfy his/her specific
needs and desires.

8. Models of Socialization
 Processes through which individuals adapt
to organizational life are complicated.
 Develop over span of time and involve
organizational members, changes of
behavior and activities.
 3 stages of the socialization process have
proven to be a useful tool for studying the
processes that individuals experience as
they enter organizations.

10. Anticipatory Socialization
 Is the process that
occur before an
individual enters the
organization
 Learn about work in general
 Learn about a particular
occupation
 Learn about a particular
organization

11. Anticipatory Socialization
 What were some things you knew about
your current job prior to starting in that
job?

12. Anticipatory Socialization
 Were there dinner table conversations
about specific work behaviors or career
paths that inspired you to follow them?

13. Encounter
 Occur at the organization “Point of Entry”,
when the new employee first encounter life
on the job.
time o change,
contrast, and
surprise.

14. Encounter
 The new employee
must work to make sense of the new
organizational culture,
relies on predispositions and past
experiences, and
the interpretations of others to help
them understand and navigate the stress
of getting socialize into a new job.

15. Encounter
 This is also the stage where people may
find some disappointment.
 If the new employee comes into the
organization with false expectations this
will be the time to get the reality shock
and see things as they really inside.
 This phase involves a variety of formal and
informal communication processes.

16. Encounter
 How have the things you knew or had
heard about your current job prior to
starting work in that job
remained the same/changed/ or
were different from what you
encountered once you started working?

17. Encounter
 This phase also involves
extensive information-seeking
from the employee.
 When organizational programs
and systems are well-designed
and work towards investing
the newcomer in the
company’s goals and culture,
they can be successful in
enhancing commitment and
reducing turnover.

18. Metamorphosis
 The final stage of the socialization process
is when the new employee makes a
transition from outsider to insider.

19. Do you consider yourself
an organizational insider?
 Why do you feel like you are now an
accepted member of your organization?

20. Metamorphosis
 The new employee becomes an accepted,
participating member of the organization
by learning new behaviors and attitudes
and modifying others.

21. Metamorphosis
 Individuals who transfer from one job to
another within an organization are not
seen as new employees, and that’s why
they don’t receive formal socialization
experiences.
 However, these employees still cope with
new job requirements, new social
relationships and sometimes a new
location.

22. Metamorphosis
 A 4th stage includes organizational exit,
which is when the relationship between the
employee and employer is terminated.
Voluntarily, when you decide to quit an
organization
 In-voluntary- when you are fired or
asked to leave

23. Content of Socialization
 Louis identified This can’t occur two classes
of information that must be grasped during
socialization process
Role-related information
- Information, skills, procedures and rules
necessary to do a job
Information about the organizational
culture
- Mission, vision, values, artifacts, rites
and rituals

24. Content of Socialization
 Myers and Oetzel – proposed a model that
details the processes involved in socialization
Developing familiarity with others
Acculturating to the new environment
Feeling recognized by others
Becoming involved in different
organizational work processes
Developing competency on the job
Role negotiation

25. Summary Socialization
Models
 The phase or stages model of socialization
help us understand the “when” of
socialization.
How individuals move from anticipating
occupational and organizational life to
becoming integrated organizational
members.
Content models help us understand the
“what” of socialization by differentiating
between role-related and cultural
information

26. Summary Socialization
Models
 These notions of “when” and “what” are a
variety of processes through which
assimilation occurs
Formal training programs
Mentoring
Interviewing
Outside research
Relationship with managers, coworkers and
subordinates

27. The Employment
Interview
 Important step in anticipatory socialization
process
Interviewer is using interview to recruit
and make decisions about recruits
Applicant is using interview to find out
more about the organization
As a socialization tool this is a point of
first contact between the potential future
employer and the employee

28. Interview as Recruiting
and Screening Tool
 The main purpose of the employment
interview is to recruit and screen potential
employees.
 In an interview, the organizational
representative has little time to make
assessment about factors that aren’t on
paper
Interviews help to gather information in
relatively structured ways

29. Interview as Recruiting
and Screening Tool
Highly structure interviews are better
predictors of future job performance
- Inverted-funnel approach is used.
Closed-ended questions are used at the
beginning of the interview followed by
open ended questions as the interview
progresses.

30. Interview as Recruiting
and Screening Tool
 Interviewers often provides “cue”
applicants about appropriate responses.
We are a national company with the
need for high-mobility employees.
Would you be willing to relocate?

31. Interview as Recruiting
and Screening Tool
 Variability in content of questions
 Some interviewers might concentrate on
college courses and activities.
 Another, might ask about behavior in
hypothetical situations
Click here for a sample of potential
questions:
- Sample Interview Questions
- Why Are Manholes Round? The 10 Toughest In

32. The Interview as
Information-
Gathering Tool
 Interview provides glimpse of possible future
employee
 Applicant satisfaction with interview is good
predictor of acceptance of second interview. But,
both parts need to feel satisfy with the outcome
of the first one.
 Most interviewees assume they should play a
passive role in process
 10 Secrets to Getting a Job at Apple, Google or Micros

33. The Interview as
Information-
Gathering Tool
 Recruits do form impressions during the
interviewing process
 Interviewees receiving second interviews
are likely to be those who confined their
questions to job-related items
 Interviewees may form impression about a
company based on questions asked and
behavior of recruiter

34. The Interview as Tool
for Socialization
 Think about all the pieces of information
that you received from the interviewer at
the time of the interview.
 That information can help to prepare, in
your mind, questions you should ask to the
interviewer.
 It’s important that candidates understand
the expectations of the organization and its
culture.

35. The Interview as Tool
for Socialization
 Interview can serve to ease newcomer’s
adaptation to organization.
 If new employees have a realistic picture
of their future job, they will be less
disappointed if their expectations are not
met.
 A realistic preview also reduces voluntary
turnover.

37. Role-Development
Processes
 According to Miller and Jablin the use of
those tactics will depend on the need to
reduce uncertainty and the social costs of
seeking information.
 The social cost might include
embarrassment about not knowing
something or fear to ask.

38. Role-Development
Processes
 The process of role development is an
ongoing one that begins with organization
entry and continues with the
metamorphosis stage of socialization.

39. Role-Development
Processes
 Graen believes that organizational
members accomplish their work through
roles
Individuals develop roles through
interaction with others
The social exchange between supervisor
and subordinate is critical in role
development (LMX) or Leader-Member
Exchange Theory.

40. Role-Development
Processes
 Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) Theory
divides roles development into three
phases
Role-taking
Role-making
Role-routinization

41. Role-Taking Phase
 The supervisor tries to discover the
relevant talents, skills and motivations of
the member.
 The leader request different activities to
the member and observes how the
member responds to each one.

42. Role-Making Phase
 The supervisor gives the role and the subordinate
modifies the nature of the role and the way the
job is done.
 The subordinate acquires trust from the
supervisor to allow for a negotiation of a specific
task.
 This phase involves a social exchange in which
each part must value the other.
 The leader can offer formal rewards and informal
resources such as information, support and
attention.

43. Role-Routinization
Phase
 At this point, the role of the subordinate
and expected behaviors of the supervisor
are well understood by both parties.
 A relationship between supervisor and
subordinate has been established

44. Technology and
Socialization
 Applicants should be aware that organizations
Google applicants or look at postings on social
networks in hiring decisions.
 Communication technology can enhance
socialization
Applicants can read about the company
before the interview
Read articles written by employees
Research the company Website

45. Organizational Exit
 Workers today more likely to make radical job
switches
 Organizational exit is process
 Influences those who leave and those who
are left behind
 Organizational exit can have effects on
families of those who leave
 Communication plays role in disengagement
process

46. Organizational Exit
 Individuals on periphery of communication
networks are more likely to exit
 When exit becomes imminent communication
about leave-taking more explicit
 The nature of communicating messages also
changes since leave-takers craft different
messages for differing audiences. Depending
on who leaves or retires you might have
different messages

47. Organizational Exit
 Organization exit can be a happy or a
stressful experience for individuals
depending on the reasons and
circumstances surrounding exit.
 Communication is a form of social support
and is critical for relieving stress that often
occurs in the postexit stage for both
leavers and stayers.