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There was evidence amongst the data collected from newcomers and socialisation agents that the important role of social networks in the small firms studied during the pre-encounter phase in facilitating newcomer socialisation extends to the selection process when newcomers and organisational insiders came into contact, interacted and communicated with each other. This is reflected in the role of social networks as a mechanism for establishing newcomer-organisation fit

via the selection process (Theme 2). Social network ties between newcomers and organisational

insiders underpinning the selection process that provide opportunities for information exchange contribute towards not only assessing newcomers current levels of job and organisational readiness to adjust to their new environment, but also assist in determining newcomers future learning required and establishing the newcomer and organisation’s expectations.

More specifically, small firms use a range of selection methods as part of the selection process that include employment interviews and work samples, where the contact and interactions established via the social network ties between newcomers and organisational insiders, provide opportunities for the exchange of information that facilitate newcomer socialisation. In most of the small firms studied there are clear indications that employment interviews are widely used and regarded as a valuable informational source for those parties involved. In addition, interviews are used by small firms in conjunction with at least one other selection method as a useful mechanism to access and exchange information that contributes to the onboarding of newcomers.

One of the firms studied was an engineering firm that utilises modern machinery and equipment to

design and manufacture what it terms “engineering solutions” primarily for the local food, wine and

processing industries. The firm was established approximately 20 years ago by the owner with a workshop in a shipping container and currently employs close to 50 employees. At the time the study was undertaken plans were in place to expand the business further. The firm prides itself on

“success (that) stems entirely from a team of dedicated people”. Ensuring the appropriate fit

between the newcomer and the job, team and organisation is important for the firm. To this end, the selection process provides opportunities for prospective newcomers and organisational to interact and exchange sufficient and accurate information that facilitates socialisation. This assists in

well as creating realistic newcomer expectations prior to commencing employment. The importance of providing the newcomer with comprehensive information about the job and the organisation during the selection process that supports newcomer adjustment is supported by the following quote from a socialisation agent:

As part of the interview process we not only talk about the specifics of the role we talk a lot about the company history, the company culture, also things like pay rates and terms and conditions of employment. We have shut downs and shift work and all that type of things, so we go through all the nuts and bolts of things before someone actually is offered the position. We also like to do a site tour, so we really like to let people have a

good look around and let them take a look at what they’ll potentially be getting

themselves into.(SA5)

The views of those socialisation agents in the small firms studied who regard interviews as a means for providing social network opportunities that enables newcomers and organisational insiders to exchange information that facilitates pre-encounter socialisation was also supported by various newcomers in the study. The newcomer quoted below was employed by a small firm that is a fourth generation family owner/operated firm and the importance of the newcomer in understanding and

‘fitting in’ with not only the job, but also the culture of the organisation is regarded as a key part of

their onboarding. This is reflected in the role of the marketing manager mentioned by the newcomer in the interview excerpt who is a family member of the firm. His involvement in the selection process allowed for contact and interactions to take place with the newcomer that contributed to determining newcomer fit into the firm culture and providing information to the newcomer that assisted in creating realistic expectations about the job and the organisation:

The marketing manager, he did the interview and they really outlined everything that the job and the organisation were about. They gave you clear expectations of what they were expecting of you and information that would help you settle in, which was good. (N10)

An interesting feature of the information exchange opportunities provided during interviews is the importance many small firms studied attach to specific organisational related information such as the organisations history, culture and values that is regarded as key pre-employment knowledge required by newcomers as part of pre-encounter socialisation. This organisational knowledge is regarded as particularly relevant in determining and emphasising the importance of the suitability of

the fit between the newcomer and the organisation that is crucial to their onboarding. At the same time the relevance and comprehensiveness of the information exchanged during these interview

encounters is likely to reduce the uncertainty newcomers’ face when confronted with an unfamiliar

environment and assist in the establishment of clear expectations about job, role and organisational requirements.

Besides the importance small firms studied attach to newcomer-organisational fit, it is clear that information that enables small firms to determine current and future newcomer-job fit is also a key aspect of newcomer learning and adjustment. To this end, work sample assessments that provide opportunities for newcomers and organisational insiders to interact and communicate directly in a

‘hands-on’ way, while assessing a newcomers ability to perform job tasks, is viewed as an important mechanism for yielding valuable information. The primary focus is on determining

newcomers’ current level of job fit and task ability, as well as future aptitude to learn and master

job related requirements. As the following incidents described by a newcomer and socialisation agent respectively illustrate, work samples are often used by small firms in conjunction with selection interviews during the selection process as a valuable information gathering method related to job fit. The first incident describes a situation where a newcomer employed by the previously mentioned manufacturer of processed vegetable products as a quality controller was required to demonstrate current levels of learning in relation to task mastery:

During the interview I was asked to do some things on Excel such as make some calculations and calculate formulas. And I was able to do the calculations as these are some of the things I usually do every day. I was also shown a micro-testing lab result and asked if I could read it and understand what it was saying. I was able to show that I could do this satisfactorily. (N17)

Another small firm studied that has been in the business of processing natural sheepskin products for over 40 years and employs approximately 30 staff prides itself on the workmanship of its manufacturing process and the high quality of its products, primarily targeting the export and tourism markets. In this type of environment where the contribution of each member of the team to the final product is critical, the importance of interacting and exchanging information while assessing a newcomer’s current ability and future potential to adjust to a job where the minimum quality performance standards need to be met are a key part of the onboarding process. The following incident described by a socialisation agent demonstrates this:

At the time we were looking for a worker in our manufacturing area which involved matching skins, trimming skins and the final finishing and grading of the skins and we interviewed him. He came across very good at the interview and we gave him a couple of skins to trim just to monitor the dexterity because the trimming can be quite hard to pick up at the initial stage and he managed that well. In the interview stage we discussed his

previous employment at ‘The Daily Dispatch’ and what he did there and it involved

similar quality checks and a bit of work with colour inks and colour matching, which we thought carried some similarities with matching up the skins. (SA10)

Responses from newcomers and socialisation agents in many of the small firms studied suggest that the interactions and communication that occurs with organisational insiders when newcomers are

assessed via interviews and work samples are an important mechanism for assessing newcomer’

ability and aptitude to learn and adjust to their new environment. This appears to be especially important for those small firms studied where newcomers are required to work in a team environment, in order to manufacture high quality products that require a certain level of technical expertise. In addition, although the social network ties between newcomers and organisational insiders as part of the selection process in small firms are, for the most part, characterised as informal and personal, they are not necessary without purpose, ad hoc or ineffective. The findings suggest that small firms studied are conscious of ensuring, as best possible, that newcomer and job, group and organisation fit is right before newcomers commence employment. The interactions and experiences shared between newcomers and organisational insiders as part of the selection process provide opportunities to exchange information that support the establishment of fit that facilitates newcomer socialisation.

The role of social networks in facilitating information exchange during selection process is a two- way process between newcomers and organisational insiders. This is reflected in the opportunities afforded to proactive newcomers during the selection process in many of the small firms studied to initiate contact and communication with organisational insiders and actively seek out information about their new environment that facilitates their socialisation. This is illustrated by the following quote from a socialisation agent that describes an incident where a newcomer engaged in proactive behaviour during the selection process by initiating contact with employees and asking questions in order to elicit information related to the newcomer’s new environment:

Through the interview and her interactions with others she sort of got on and intermingled or related to me and David. And when I introduced her to staff she came in

and related to them and with the questions she was asking she was trying to find out as much herself about what the position was about. This was rather than me having to feed her with all the information. (SA7)

Interestingly, during an interview with the newcomer mentioned in the above incident by the socialisation agent, the newcomer described proactive behaviours that included initiative and information seeking prior to commencing employment that tended to confirm the socialisation agent’s observations of the newcomer’s proactivity. This included the newcomer actually visiting the worksite on her own initiative prior to the job interview and obtaining additional information about the firm via the organisation’s website.

In the small firms studied, it is evident that processes such as selection provide opportunities for newcomers and organisational insiders to make contact, interact and exchange information that leads to the establishment of network ties. These network ties assist organisational insiders in accessing information about newcomers, while at the same time newcomers are able to actively seek out and obtain information required to support their learning and adjustment. Small firms that recognise the value of social networks that support the onboarding of newcomers during pre- encounter socialisation can contribute to speeding up and shortening the duration of the learning and adjustment required by newcomers during the socialisation process. The specific selection methods that included interviews and work samples, together with newcomer proactivity, provide opportunities for both newcomers and small firms to determine newcomer job, work group and organisational fit, as well as future learning and adjustment required.

In summary, the important role of social networks during pre-encounter socialisation in small firms is characterised for the most part as a social process. The pre-employment contact, interactions and communication that takes place between newcomers and organisational insiders via social networks consisting of social and familial network ties plays a key role in initiating pre-encounter socialisation during the recruitment process. This pre-encounter socialisation extends to the selection process during which information exchange between newcomers and organisational insiders via social network ties jointly contributes towards shaping the early socialisation experiences of newcomers and determining current and future learning and adjustment required.

The importance of job, work group and organisational related information provided to newcomers via social network ties during the pre-encounter phase of socialisation is consistent with the view that the amount and accuracy of pre-employment information that newcomers have access to is

likely to result in newcomers requiring less information when commencing employment, which in turn leads to better adjustment outcomes (Cooper-Thomas & Wilson, 2011; Ioannides & Loury, 2004; Kammeyer-Mueller & Wanberg, 2003). In addition, those social network ties formed through the pre-employment contacts and relationships between newcomers and organisational insiders during the pre-encounter phase are likely to continue on commencing employment, when further information is exchanged that further facilitates newcomer learning and adjustment (Reichers, 1987; Saks, 1994).