Personnel Management

Socialization

Socialisation  is the  process  of adaptation. It is the process  by which new employees attempt to learn  and  inculcate   values of work  roles  in an organisation. Learning and   inculcating  the  norms  and  values of work   group   are  necessary  for proper  adjustment   and  job  performance.  Some  people treat  induction  and  socialization as synonymous.  However, the two are  different  in  some   respects.   Induction  is  in  fact,   only  a  part   of  socialization. Induction  is  confined  to  new  recruits  whereas  socialization  also   covers,  cases   of transfer  and  promotion.

Definition

Socialisation means the process used by the companies to expose new employees to their culture and way of doing things.

-Randall S. Schuler and Ian C. Macmillan

Socialization is the ongoing process of installing in al employees the prevailing attitudes, standards, values, and patterns of behavior that are expected by the organization and its departments.

-Gary Dessler

Socialisation is the manner in which an individual learns (the) behavior appropriate to his positions in a group through interaction with others who hold normative beliefs about what his rile should be and who reward or punish him for correct or incorrect actions.

-Orville G. Brim

The  socialization  process  consists  of the  following stages:

1. Pre-arrival Stage

The  pre-arrival  stage  recognises that  all the  new  recruits arrive in  the  organisation  with  a  set  of values, norms,  expectations  and   learning. These  include  both   the  work   to  be  done   and   the  organisation.   For  example,  in business  schools, students  acquire certain ideas  regarding the nature  of their  future jobs, pay packages and  career progress. At the recruitment  stage.  many  organisations givejob previews which helps   the prospective employees to learn   more  about  the job and  the  organisation.

2. Encounter Stage

When  the   new   employee  joins    the   organisation,    he encounters the  realities of the  Situation in terms   of his job,  work   culture,  superiors, subordinates  and   peers.    If the  expectations  of the  individual  are  in  tune   With the organisational realities,  he adapts  to the organisation  quickly. On  the  other   hand,   if there  is  a  marked   difference  between  expectations  and   realities,  Socialisation is essential to replace  his  previous  assumptions  with  realities.  At the  other   extreme, the individual cannot  reconcile With the  values and  norms  of the  organisation  and quits  the job.

3. Metamorphosis Stage

In this  stage,  the  new  employee acquires  the  skills required to adjust with  the values and  norms of the organisation. He brings necessary changes in his  attitudes  and  role  behaviour  to suit  the  organisation’s  culture.  Such changes make   the  employee self-confident and  he feels  accepted by other   members of the  organisation.   The   completion  of  socialisation  process  is  characterised   by feelings of competence  in the job  and  commitment  to the  organisation.

Difference between Orientation and Socialization

	Orientation	Socialization
1.	Orientation is usually a formal and structured process of learning the organizational reality by the newcomer.	Socialization is typically an informal and spontaneous process of learning about the organizational culture by newcomer.
2.	The first way or occasion the newcomer experiences the organization is normally through orientation.	The socialization process begins during or after the orientation. However, the subsequent orientation for the newcomers is often influenced by the outcome of the socialization process.
3.	Orientation is a short term and time bound activity.	Socialization is generally a long term and gradual process.
4.	The HR department generally takes the primary responsibility for the orientation process.	The line management normally takes the primary responsibility for the socialization process.
5.	The aim of orientation is to introduce the newcomer to the organization itself.	The aim of socialization is to introduce the newcomer to the organizational culture, attitudes, standards, values and behavioral aspects. It also involves introducing the newcomer to the work environment.
6.	It is usually a one time event organized at the beginning of an employee’s career in the organization.	It is an ongoing process in which the employees continuously learn about their organizational culture.