Research on communication during organizational socialization has focused disproportionately on the time beginning with the newcomer’s first day on the job. However, little is known about the impact of communication before this time. This study examined the frequency of and satisfaction with organizational communication during the pre-boarding phase of newcomer socialization—the time between an offer acceptance and the first day of work. A survey of employees entering the full-time workforce revealed that communication satisfaction during the pre-boarding phase was associated with greater job satisfaction. Additionally, most participants who thought the communication frequency from their new employer could be improved desired more (rather than less) communication during the pre-boarding phase. Finally, themes from responses to open-ended questions regarding what specific communication newcomers desired are presented.
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