The role of organisational socialisation resources, individual differences and proactive behaviours in predicting newcomer adjustment

Abstract

Successful newcomer adjustment has important implications for organisations and newcomers. Past adjustment literature has separately investigated either how organisational socialisation tactics or how newcomers facilitate their own adjustment. The broad objective of this study was to examine a comprehensive model incorporating the two perspectives. Specifically, this cross-sectional study investigated the relationship between organisational socialisation resources, newcomer individual differences (proactive personality, core selfevaluation), proactive behaviours (direct inquiry, feedback-seeking, networking, relationship building-supervisor, general socialising), and proximal (person-organisation fit, role clarity, social integration) and distal (well-being, job satisfaction) adjustment outcomes. Ninety-six New Zealand newcomers from various occupational backgrounds and role levels completed a survey. Direct relationships were found between organisational socialisation resources and relational proactive behaviours (networking, relationship building-supervisor, general socialising) and adjustment outcomes. In contrast, newcomer individual differences had more limited relationships with only some proactive behaviours and adjustment outcomes. Some support was obtained for the direct relationships between proactive behaviours and the adjustment outcomes. Bootstrapping analyses indicated that proactive behaviours did not mediate relationships between organisational socialisation resources, newcomer individual differences and adjustment outcomes. These findings suggest that organisational socialisation resources are important in facilitating newcomer adjustment, whereas the newcomer, through individual differences and proactive behaviours, appears less influential in their own adjustment. The implications of these findings are discussed for all stakeholders in newcomer adjustment.