Successful Orientation Programs—Career Development

Chapter . Orientation Process

The “joys” of job hunting are nothing compared with the “fun” of starting work at a firm. For many people, self-confidence and enthusiasm about a new job give way on the first day to anxiety and confusion. (What am I doing here? What do they expect of me? Whom can I go to for help?) How long this mental mayhem lasts—an hour or a few months—can depend a great deal on employee orientation.

Orientation is a process…not an event. It is part of the overall integration of new employees into the organization by which the organization helps the new hire adapt to the work environment and the job. Orientation is, in fact, a training opportunity to promote organizational effectiveness from the start of a person's ...