Abstract:
The present study aims to examine the impact of organizational socialization strategies on
work identity of newly hired employees that is team identity, professional identity and
organizational identity through perceived social validation. It is also proposed that person
environment fit moderates the relationship between socialization and perceived social
validation. The moderated mediation model has been proposed on the basis of Social identity
theory by explaining process of categorization, uncertainty reduction and self-enhancement.
Data gathered through questionnaires from 350 new employees of service and manufacturing
industry and was collected on time-lagged design that was comprised on three different time
spans with 2 months’ gap in each time interval. The significance of the study is that it is to
make refinement in the social identity theory by testing how social validation (mediator) and
person environment fit (moderator) taken in the study can authenticate the two fundamental
needs of social identity theory which are uncertainty reduction and self enhancement. Data
was analyzed using SEM for main & indirect effects, for moderation analysis, Hayes
PROCESS was applied. Results support our main and indirect effects. Main effects are
relationship of organizational socialization and different types of identities (Organizational
identity, Team identity & Professional identity) whereas indirect effects are the mediating role
of perceived social validation by coworker & supervisor between organizational socialization
and the identities. However, moderation showed directional but insignificant effect which
means that PE Fit neither strengthen nor weaken the relationship between organizational
socialization (OS) and perceived social validation (PSV). Moreover, the study is helpful for
HR Managers to opt for socialization strategies to build identification and to attract the new
employees
