Mentoring and newcomer well-being: a socialization resources perspective
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of mentoring on newcomer well-being, as mediated by newcomer socialization and moderated by proactive personality.Design/methodology/approachData were collected at four time points in a sample of 227 newcomers. Regression analysis and bootstrapping method were used to test the hypotheses.FindingsMentoring had a positive and indirect effect on newcomer well-being through socialization. The moderated mediation analysis also revealed that proactive personality augmented the direct effect of mentoring on socialization and its indirect effect on well-being.Research limitations/implicationsOur data were collected in China, thereby limiting the generalization of the research findings. Future research can test our model in different cultural contexts.Practical implicationsOrganizations should consider establishing a mentoring program to foster newcomer socialization and achieve well-being. Within the mentoring context, cultivating newcomers to become more proactive can predict higher socialization levels, resulting in higher well-being.Originality/valuePrevious research largely focused on the development of the well-being of tenured employees. Drawing on socialization resources theory, this study focuses on the newcomer well-being and proposes the influential mechanism and boundary condition of the relationship between mentoring and newcomer well-being. It sheds light on exploring the well-being development for newcomers.