Washington, July 19: New employees adjust better to their workplace with structured processes, such as orientation training and mentorship programs, a new research has shown.

"Simply throwing newcomers into a job and letting them fend for themselves results in their being socialized by default rather than design," said Jamie Gruman, an organizational behaviour professor in the Department of Business and the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management.

Personal engagement at work, described as bringing one's full self to the job, is considered key to a new employee's commitment and performance. That in turn affects a company's productivity and competitiveness, Gruman said.

The study, which involved 140 co-op university students on a work term, found that more structured on-boarding tactics made employees happier and more confident, and strengthened their belief that they fit both the job and organization. In turn, those highly desirable outcomes made employees feel engaged.

Organizations should use structured on-boarding to help build relationships, said Gruman.

But he said formal processes should be only a starting point, as they lead only indirectly to employee engagement. To be fully engaged, people must feel "safe" - supported by their superiors and colleagues - and feel that their work is meaningful.

The study has been published in the Journal of Managerial Psychology. (ANI)