The New Employee as a Source of Uncertainty: Veteran Employee Information Seeking about New Hires

Abstract

Employee socialization research conceptualizes new hires as those who experience uncertainty and seek information to reduce uncertainty. Our study contributes to this research by introducing another aspect of employee uncertainty. While organizational newcomers experience uncertainty upon organizational entry, our focus shifts to uncertainty experienced by veteran employees when a newcomer joins the organization. We conceptualize organizational newcomers as a source of uncertainty and veteran employees as those who experience uncertainty and seek information to reduce uncertainty. Interviews revealed types of uncertainty veterans experience regarding new hires and tactics used to reduce uncertainty. This conceptual shift has substantial heuristic potential.