Turning Outsiders into Insiders
Chris Webb
School of Behavioral Sciences, Liberty University
PSYC 516: Industrial/Organizational Psychology
Dr. Anna Stevens
September 3, 2023
TURNING OUTSIDERS INTO INSIDERS 2
Scenario
A food service company recently opened a location in the local college town and
established a work culture focusing on the employees’ happiness. They recently hired a 20-year-
old student from the local college. The individual has 4 years of food service experience but left
their previous restaurant due to abusive management and toxic work culture. During the training
process, he states that he doesn’t like to come to work due to his past employment and is
basically scared to. In the first few weeks of their employment, it is noticed that the individual is
very hesitant about making mistakes and distant from fellow team members. As a result of being
mentally distant, he has become difficult to lead in the workplace and has an attitude toward the
managers.
Relevant Research
In a research study by Peltokorpi et al. (2022), they sought to find the effects different
socialization tactics have on the newcomer, and how much is due to work locus of control. The
researchers found that newcomers, who enter the organization after working at another
establishment, preemptively try to understand the work culture and how it will be managed. This
is a disadvantage due to the possibility of the individual coming from a negative work
environment. This is relevant to the scenario given due to the newcomer becoming difficult to
work with because of his past experiences at his previous workplace.
To better understand why the individual is acting the way he is, the managers need to sit
down with him and listen to his story. In doing that, the managers will start breaking down the
walls he has established and the individual will start to trust them. Once trust is established, it is
important to explain that the current culture is not the same as their previous workplace. The
managers will need to give specifics on why the culture is different.
TURNING OUTSIDERS INTO INSIDERS 3
Intervention Specifics
Based on the example given and the research results found in relation to the example, the
intervention is a very strong counteraction towards the individual’s attitude and the socialization
process. A main advantage of the intervention is the trust that will be built between the manager
and the newcomer. In doing so, the managers are also creating a future leader for the company,
because there will be mutual trust between the individual and the managers. A disadvantage of
the action is how late they had the conversation with the individual. Due to the delayed
conversation, a negative impression has been placed on him by other team members. If I were
the approach a similar situation in the future, I would seek to know the individual’s story before
they had their first day. Since the individual carries trauma from the past, the socialization
process is even more critical to the future the individual has with the company.
TURNING OUTSIDERS INTO INSIDERS 4
References
Peltokorpi, V., Feng, J., Pustovit, S., Allen, D. G., & Rubenstein, A. L. (2022). The interactive
effects of socialization tactics and work locus of control on newcomer work adjustment,
job embeddedness, and voluntary turnover. Human Relations, 75(1), 177–202.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0018726720986843
