Welcome Aboard! Earning Your Place on the Crew

An important TM practice to improve retention of newcomers is the socialization process used to assimilate them. We conducted two studies; an exploratory qualitative study followed by a survey-based study. Our results indicate a substantial percentage of U.S. workers experience hazing as newcomers. Compared to newcomers who experience traditional onboarding, hazed workers report higher turnover intentions and strain and lower levels of engagement; important outcomes for firms seeking to reduce the costs and disruptions of early-tenure turnover. Leaders of SMEs may heed the call to provide a welcome mat rather than a gauntlet for new employees to run.