The relative importance of proactive behaviors and outcomes for predicting newcomer learning, well-being, and work engagement

By H. Cooper–Thomas, Nicole L Paterson, Matthias Stadler, A. Saks. 2014

150 citations recorded by the source corpus.

Abstract New employees can accelerate and optimize their socialization by behaving proactively, although the key behaviors vary across studies. Recent research suggests that newcomer proactive behaviors influence socialization through the mediating effect of corresponding proactive outcomes. This may partly explain differences across studies, along with possible variations in the relative importance of specific proactive behaviors. This study investigates further the mediating role of proactive outcomes, and the relative importance of different proactive behaviors and proactive outcomes in predicting newcomer learning, well-being, and work engagement. Based on a sample of 176 temporary agency workers, support for the mediating role of proactive outcomes was found, although some proactive behaviors were effective in their own right. Relative importance analyses revealed that different proactive behaviors were important for different socialization criteria. Practical and theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.

Subfields: General Health Professions, Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management, Sociology and Political Science

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/9424d944d8b8156f35727093e50e268b15a9f6dd

How researchers see this paper

The researchers whose trusted networks rank it highest, strongest advocate first. Every researcher gets a different order.

In General Health Professions

1. S. Osborne
2. Mohamad Hammoud

In Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management

1. Dulini Fernando
2. Ajnesh Prasad
3. S. Osborne
4. Mohamad Hammoud

In Sociology and Political Science

1. Dulini Fernando
2. Ajnesh Prasad
3. S. Osborne
4. Mohamad Hammoud

Citations in the corpus

• Sex-based harassment and organizational silencing: How women are led to reluctant acquiescence in academia (2018, background): “Furthermore, she invoked ‘newcomers’ lack of know-how’ (Cooper-Thomas et al., 2014) to convince Andrea that HR is better placed to judge the situation than is she.”
• Effective Employee Engagement in the Workplace (2017, background): “Supported by Cooper-Thomas et al. (2014), and as indicated in the findings, communication business leaders must understand the relationship between employee engagement and organizational profitability, and there should be an investment in improving employee engagement strategies.”