Once a job candidate has been selected, he or she needs to be introduced to the job and organization. This introduction is called orientation.27 The major goals of orientation are to

• reduce the initial anxiety all new employees feel as they begin a new job;

• familiarize new employees with the job, the work unit, and the organization as a whole; and

• facilitate the outsider–insider transition.

Job orientation: (1) expands on the information the employee obtained during the recruitment and selection stages, (2) clarifies the new employee’s specific duties and responsibilities as well as how his or her performance will be evaluated, and (3) corrects any unrealistic expectations new employees might hold about the job.

Work unit orientation: (1) Familiarizes an employee with the goals of the work unit, (2) clarifies how his or her job contributes to the unit’s goals, and (3) provides an introduction to his or her coworkers.

Organization orientation: (1) Informs the new employee about the organization’s goals, history, philosophy, procedures, and rules; (2) clarifies relevant HR policies such as work hours, pay procedures, overtime requirements, and benefits; and (3) may include a tour of the organization’s physical facilities.

Managers have an obligation to make the integration of a new employee into the organization as smooth and anxiety-free as possible. Successful orientation, whether formal or informal:

• Results in an outsider–insider transition that makes the new member feel comfortable and fairly well-adjusted.

• Lowers the likelihood of poor work performance.

• Reduces the probability of a surprise resignation by the new employee only a week or two into the job.28