Section Fourimpart a particular impression. One useful suggestion for
orientation and socialization is to assign an experienced
employee to be the sponsor of each new employee. During this
training, employees are actually introduced to the company’s
norms and values. In designing orientation programs, it is
probably advisable to place greater emphasis on imparting the
company’s values to new employees, with less emphasis being
placed on details, such as the technical issues of health care
programs and retirement plans. With respect to the latter,
employees should be given only “survival skills” or only enough
information to get them through the first few weeks of
employment. Details can be provided at a more leisurely pace
when there is more time and less chance for information
overload.^59
Socialization of new employees is extremely critical
because it can have a major impact on employees’
understandings of such basic cultural norms as the company’s
performance expectations. Socialization also is important
because turnover often occurs during the early months of
employment.^60 Such turnover frequently occurs because there
are delays before new employees become “permanent”
members of work groups. In their permanent work groups, new
employees form friendships, begin to make real contributions to
the company, gain acceptance, and learn “how things really
work.”^61 Unfortunately, quick entry into a permanent work