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Realistic Job Preview Sets A Positive Tone From The Beginning
Conclusion: Enacting an Expectation Lowering Procedure (ELP) directly targets unrealistically high expectations of newcomers on the job and contributes to increasing job satisfaction and lowering turnover.
Reference: Investigating Newcomer Expectations and Job-Related Outcomes by R. M. Buckley, University of Oklahoma, D.B. Fedor, J. G. Veres, D. S. Wiese, and S. M. Carraher. In Print: Journal of Applied Psychology. For more information, contact Kevin Dowling at sales@batrushollweg.com.
Why This Article Is Important: Realistic Job Previews (RJPs) have been historically proven to help give newcomers a better, honest understanding of their duties and help reduce potential stress and job dissatisfaction. However, there is considerable cost, time and effort involved in creating an RJP as it involves extensive job analysis. This is further complicated by the constantly evolving demands of jobs due to market demands, technology, and other organizational processes. Expectation Lowering Procedures (ELPs) directly target newcomer expectations and explain to the newcomer the importance of having realistic expectations. ELPs have the added benefit of being relatively job content-free and instead focus on the newcomer's expectations.
Major Findings: a) An ELP seminar which was provided to newcomers discussed the negative impact of unrealistically high job expectations. Compared to the more costly and intensive RJP program, this ELP seminar produced similar and beneficial effects on turnover, expectations, and satisfaction and b) RJPs still have a number of beneficial effects, however, including providing the job holder a valid understanding of their expectations and challenges that are likely to occur in this position.
What Does It Mean To You? Realistic Job Previews have a number of beneficial effects in bringing newcomers into the company and their jobs, including setting clear expectations, providing role definition and clarity, and helping reduce the likelihood for turnover and increase job satisfaction. However, RJPs can be extensive, costly, and time consuming to create and maintain and can prove problematic in situations where jobs are subject to frequent changes. Expectation Lowering Platforms produce comparable results to RJPs, yet are job-content free and thus much less costly and subject to change. Due to the other benefits of RJPs, however, it is suggested by the authors that ELPs be used in conjunction with and not a total replacement for RJPs.
