Year-end Sale % OFF 
Abstract
Unmet expectations are one of the major sources of strain for organizational newcomers. We explore the change of newcomers’ expectations over time and propose that proactive coping should restrict the amount of unmet expectations. We recruited participants among employees from newly opened retail stores (N = 172) and accompanied them for six months after organizational entry. The results revealed a change of unmet expectations over time. Though proactive coping was related to a lower amount of unmet expectations right after organizational entry, unmet expectations increased after six months, especially in case of high proactive coping.
Highlights
The early period of employment is considered as one of the most critical phases of organizational life
Since the actual experience differs in the process of onboarding, the fulfillment of expectations might change during organizational entry
The high correlations of proactive coping between the assessments indicate the stability of this construct over time, whereas the measures of unmet expectations are interrelated to a lesser extent between the assessments
Summary
The early period of employment is considered as one of the most critical phases of organizational life. The failure to meet new employees’ expectations can even exacerbate the “reality shock” and lead to unsuccessful adaptation and a lower job satisfaction [4] Regarding these negative consequences, the problem of unmet expectations remains a crucial topic for organizational socialization. Contrary to prior conceptions of organizational newcomers as being passive and reactive respondents to their work context, the prevalent view portrays employees as actively shaping their jobs and work environment [5, 6]. This active work behavior refers to proactive coping that describes individuals as self-started, change-oriented, and future-focused [7].
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
