The role of human resource systems in the socialization process
One of the most difficult days for employees to handle in their jobs are usually the first few days after joining. There is a desire to fit in and yet stand out. There is an urgency to understand all the processes and practices, and yet start contributing immediately. There are many layers of complexity that emerge for a new employee. Human Resource has the key role of helping new employees assimilate into the new culture and systems of the organization. This process of getting them accustomed is called socialization and is aimed at putting the new employees at ease in a totally different environment. Human resources courses cover this in great detail and share how the various people and systems come together to make this process a seamless one.
Let us take a look at some of the systems that have a role to play here for each one of the three stahes.
- Pre-Arrival: Employees are in a high state of anticipation just before joining. They are looking forward to the new phase in their career. At the same time there is a sense of nervousness about their ability to cope up and become a part of the new organization. To facilitate better socialization, HR systems need to provide as much information as can be shared prior to joining about the company’s culture and values. There could be an HR buddy assigned as the person prepares to join, to talk the new employee through some of the key things that are going to happen on the first day and week of joining. Providing the employee with virtual links related to the organization, its achievements and its background or growth journey are all necessary from a learning perspective. It also starts sowing the seeds for a deeper sense of connection and belongingness which will arise over a period of time.
- Encounter: This is the stage when the employee actually joins the firm. He gets a first-level understanding of what its really like and subconsciously starts comparing it with his or her perceived image and expectations. He or she is exposed to the daily working culture, his or her peers and team members, manager, business head and all other individuals. As he/she tries to absorb all these interactions, there is a learning taking place internally. This is a crucial stage because HR systems should be aligned to providing as much interaction and face-to-face conversations as possible with all those who the employee will interact with. The role is to help the employees process how many of the existing perceptions are correct and to re-align the ones that do not fit in with their previous ideas. The systems should also be sharing actual business goals, details of how the various processes, policies and programs work. There should be a degree of insight for the employees on who to be able to connect with should they feel overwhelmed or even a little isolated until they settle in. There needs to be an HR system that also gives them a view of different functions and locations for the organization, to give them a holistic idea.
- Metamorphosis : This is where the actual change in the new employee occurs. The role of HR systems is to provide an environment that allows and fosters such change, and also to handhold the new employees as they become aware of their jobs, the expectations from them and the way in which the job needs to be done. It is also the stage that sets the basis for an employee’s performance and commitment. The HR systems should be focused on helping them understanding that all processes within the organization are focused on empowering them and supporting them to do their jobs better. They should be provided with opportunities to connect with those who joined the organizations and have grown within it. This will enable them to find a link with others who have been in a similar situation and learn from their experiences of how to socialize well. The systems should have the team members and managers spend more time with the new hire, so that he/she feels that they have now been accepted by their team members as well as managers.
Human resource functions plan and conduct orientation programs for the new hires to work through the socialization process. Designing the induction appropriately is the key to success in this process. The orientation planning starts of with the HR team setting up every element that the employee needs when they come in the first day. Apart from that, engaging the managers of the new joinees and their team members, to understand how they can help the socialization process is also HR’s role. There could be a buddy in the team itself who can take him/her around to the other functions and help them know the other teams. HR needs to invest time in helping the new hires understand the organization culture. That itself is a big facilitator of the socialization process.
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