Scholarly record

OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT OF SOCIALISATION AND ON-BOARDING OF NEW EMPLOYEES IN A COMPANY

Solveiga Blumberga, A. Luka - Indane

Abstract

The current labour market in Latvia features shortage of professional labour due to demographic, emigration, payment, education and other reasons. An emerging tendency is that employees change their jobs more frequently, the mean duration of employment in a company is dropping, and companies experience higher levels of personnel turnover. Research reveals that it is the first six months of employment that have the crucial influence on the job performance of new employees and their intent to stay in the organisation. The business strategy of the researched company envisages a rapid development of the company as well as an increase in the number of employees. Several hundreds of new employees have been taken on during the last year, and a large number of them leave the organisation already during the trial period. The purpose of the research study is to identify the most substantial gaps in the process of socialisation and on-boarding in the researched company. The research questions are the following: What is the process of socialisation and on-boarding of new employees, how is the new employee socialisation and on-boarding process rated by the employees and the human resources specialists, and what are the most substantial gaps and shortcomings in the current new employee socialisation and on-boarding process? A survey developed by the authors was used for the collection of the study data. Gaps in the new employee socialisation and on-boarding process were identified as a result of the research study. It turned out that the new employee socialisation and on-boarding processes were different for the employees of the administrative departments and the employees associated with the performance of the direct duties. The results of the research study revealed that differences existed in the ratings on various scales between the employees of various departments. Overall, the socialisation and on-boarding process is rated higher by the personnel associated with the performance of the direct duties, which, in its turn, might be attributed to the extensive training prior to the employment. Similar to what is described in the analysed scientific literature, the results of the research study revealed a statistically significant correlation between the personal traits of the new employee (interest and socialisation abilities) and satisfaction with the process of socialisation and on-boarding. The results of the research study showed the company does not have a common standard for informing the new employees on the course of the first day of employment. This creates uncertainty among the new employees and raises questions prior to the employment. The process of socialisation and on-boarding envisages that the direct supervisor should have a discussion with the new employee to provide an effective evaluation of their job performance and the further cooperation, but no such discussion took place with most of the employees. The process should be monitored continuously after the improvement of the new employee socialisation and on-boarding process in the company.

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