{"title":"How orientation training socializes newcomers: The mediating role of learning in reducing turnover and boosting performance among new salespersons","authors":"Di Xie, Zhaobiao Zong","doi":"10.1111/ijtd.12322","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p>Orientation training plays a crucial role in the process of newcomer socialization by equipping employees with the knowledge, abilities, and skills necessary for success in a new work setting. However, relatively few studies have investigated orientation training from a socialization perspective and addressed its underlying mechanisms. To address this issue, we developed a model to elucidate the socialization process of newly hired salespersons undergoing skill-based orientation training. The model includes training reactions, two learning outcomes (learning engagement and skill acquisition), as well as two distal socialization outcomes (retention status and annual sales performance). Using a one-year multiperiod design, we conducted a multilevel analysis on data of 1184 new salesperson records nested in 37 off-site classes, which was obtained from a US pharmaceutical company operating in China. The results revealed that newcomers' reactions to orientation training were positively associated with their learning engagement and skill acquisition, which in turn resulted in a higher newcomer retention ratio. Furthermore, skill acquisition was found to be a significant mediator between training reactions and newcomers' annual sales performance. By combining self-report, trainer-report and objective indicators, this study provides a new and compelling evidence on how orientation training accelerates newcomer socialization success.</p>","PeriodicalId":46817,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Training and Development","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5000,"publicationDate":"2024-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"International Journal of Training and Development","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ijtd.12322","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"MANAGEMENT","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Orientation training plays a crucial role in the process of newcomer socialization by equipping employees with the knowledge, abilities, and skills necessary for success in a new work setting. However, relatively few studies have investigated orientation training from a socialization perspective and addressed its underlying mechanisms. To address this issue, we developed a model to elucidate the socialization process of newly hired salespersons undergoing skill-based orientation training. The model includes training reactions, two learning outcomes (learning engagement and skill acquisition), as well as two distal socialization outcomes (retention status and annual sales performance). Using a one-year multiperiod design, we conducted a multilevel analysis on data of 1184 new salesperson records nested in 37 off-site classes, which was obtained from a US pharmaceutical company operating in China. The results revealed that newcomers' reactions to orientation training were positively associated with their learning engagement and skill acquisition, which in turn resulted in a higher newcomer retention ratio. Furthermore, skill acquisition was found to be a significant mediator between training reactions and newcomers' annual sales performance. By combining self-report, trainer-report and objective indicators, this study provides a new and compelling evidence on how orientation training accelerates newcomer socialization success.
期刊介绍:
Increasing international competition has led governments and corporations to focus on ways of improving national and corporate economic performance. The effective use of human resources is seen as a prerequisite, and the training and development of employees as paramount. The growth of training and development as an academic subject reflects its growth in practice. The International Journal of Training and Development is an international forum for the reporting of high-quality, original, empirical research. Multidisciplinary, international and comparative, the journal publishes research which ranges from the theoretical, conceptual and methodological to more policy-oriented types of work. The scope of the Journal is training and development, broadly defined. This includes: The determinants of training specifying and testing the explanatory variables which may be related to training identifying and analysing specific factors which give rise to a need for training and development as well as the processes by which those needs become defined, for example, training needs analysis the need for performance improvement the training and development implications of various performance improvement techniques, such as appraisal and assessment the analysis of competence Training and development practice the design, development and delivery of training the learning and development process itself competency-based approaches evaluation: the relationship between training and individual, corporate and macroeconomic performance Policy and strategy organisational aspects of training and development public policy issues questions of infrastructure issues relating to the training and development profession The Journal’s scope encompasses both corporate and public policy analysis. International and comparative work is particularly welcome, as is research which embraces emerging issues and developments.