USED BY THE RESIDENCE HALLS AT
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

Thesis for the Degree of M. A
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
MARIO PETER SCONTRINO

' 1968

 

 

 

 

       

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ABSTRACT

A STUDY OF THE ORIENTATION PROGRAM USED BY THE
RESIDENCE HALLS AT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

By

Mario Peter Scontrino

An orientation program is a process directed at aiding the new
employee in his adjustment to the company. In January of 1967 the
Personnel Office of the Dormitories and Food Services Division of
Michigan State University developed their own orientation program.
After one year of experience with the program, the Personnel Office
was interested in evaluating this program. In conjunction with this
office E conducted the present study to determine the effects of the
orientation program. g found that the program was being used by a
majority of the managers, that no significant relationship existed
between employee attitude and employee knowledge of the organization,
that no significant relationship existed between amount of orientation
and employee attitude, and that amount of orientation and rate of

turnover were significantly related.

Thesis Committee . ,

Dr. John Wakeley, Chairman Approved: '- , (12(22 éfil
Q ”

Dr. Eugene Jacobson Date: ,x/flflfl 68

Dr. Hiram Fitzgerald

A STUDY OF THE ORIENTATION PROGRAM USED BY THE

RESIDENCE HALLS AT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

By

Mario Peter Scontrino

A THESIS

Submitted to
Michigan State University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements

for the degree of

MASTER OF ARTS

Department of Psychology

1968

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

In a sense this thesis does not belong to M. Peter Scontrino at
all. Mr. Bob Goodman supplied the idea that sparked the fuel
supplied by Mr. Emery Foster, Mr. Lyle Thorburn, and Mr. Robert
Underwood of the division of Dormitories and Food Services. Dr. John
Wakeley, Dr. Eugene Jacobson, Dr. Hiram Fitzgerald, and Dr. Frederic
Wickert all played a significant role in fanning the flames while
Mr. Jack Ferrara, Mr. Larry Gerstenhaber, and Mr. John McClurkin
kept the author from being hopelessly engulfed. And my wife, Connie,
kept a firm hand on the bellows, always willing to increase the draft

when the flame began to wane. Thank you, one and all.

ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF TABLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
METHOD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Subjects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
SUMMARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
APPENDIX I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
APPENDIX II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
APPENDIX III . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

APPENDIX IV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

iii

LIST OF TABLES

Table Page
1. Summary of means and standard deviations . . . . . . . . . . 10
2. Table of all Pearson r's . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

3. Table of all etas (y,x). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

iv

INTRODUCTION

In the United States today more than 78 million people produce
goods and provide services for a population of 200 million. As
the Bureau of Labor Statistics (1967) points out, more than 7 million
or 9 percent of these 78 million undergo some form of training every
year as they move from one organization to another or join an organi-
zation for the first time. Moreover, many millions more receive
training as they move about within the same organization. What this
amounts to is a vast sum of money, time, and effort being expended
for training. What exactly is included in this training? The United

States Government "succinctly" defines training as:
". . . the process of providing for and making

available to an employee and placing or enrolling
such employee in a planned, prepared, and coordi-
nated program, course, curriculum, subject, system,
or routine of instruction or education, in
scientific, professional, technical, mechanical,
trade, clerical, fiscal, administrative, or other
fields which are or will be directly related to
the performance by such employee of official
duties for the Government (employer), in order to
increase the knowledge, proficiency, ability, skill,
and qualifications of such employee in the perfor-
mance of official duties.”

(U. S. Congress, 1958)

More to the point is the definition given by McGehee and
Thayer (1961):

"Training is the formal procedures which a company
uses to facilitate employees' learning so that their
resultant behavior contributes to the attainment of
the company's goals and objectives. It encompasses
activities ranging from the acquisition of a simple
motor skill up to the development of attitudes toward
intricate and controversial issues."

Training not only involves learning, training is learning. When

anemployee is hired, he undergoes orientation training. He learns

where the time clock is located, what his job consists of, where
the lavatories are located, what fringe benefits accompany his job,
etc. When he is given a different job in the same organization, he
must undergo more training. He must learn about his new job. When
his job is enlarged, further training is required. As the products
and services change, the employees must also change their behavior
to meet the new demands. The most direct method of attaining this
behavioral change is training.

Orientation training, on-the-job training, off-the-job training,
apprenticeship training, and vestibule training are all attempts to
develop the individual employee so that his resultant behavior will
contribute to the attainment of the company's goals and objectives.
Of all of the training programs, orientation training is the first
and most important training experience the employee undergoes.

The purpose of orientation training is deceptively simple -- to
aid the new employee in his adjustment to the company (Smith, 1965).
Why then is orientation training so important? Thibaut and Kelley
(1959) point out that the early exploratory interactions of an
individual in a novel situation are very important in determining
the final outcome of the potential relationship. Wietz (1956) seconds
this notion with his findings that a significant relationship exists
between job expectancy and turnover. Moreover, for any training
program to be effective, the trainee must be motivated to learn
whatever is being taught. The employee's motivation depends to a
great extent on the employee's identification with the company's

goals and objectives and on the employee's attitude toward the company.

It is during the initial experience with the company that the employee
forms many of his attitudes toward the company, attitudes which
determine the individual's motivation. For this reason the success

of all later training programs is dependent on the success of orienta-
tion training. Furthermore, orientation training provides the new
employee with a frame of reference from which to judge the varied
impressions he will receive from his fellow employees in his early
days with the company.

There are nearly as many orientation programs as there are organi~
zations. Nevertheless, there are surprisingly few studies of the
effects orientation programs have on employees. But the problem of
determining the best method of orienting the new employee is a real
one. As Scanlan points out:

"An orientation program is not something which a firm
has or does not have. Neither is it a question of
incurring certain costs or not incurring them. One
way or another the employee will be oriented and
a cost will evolve. It only makes good sense to
have a directed program which will achieve a list
of solid worthwhile objectives."

(Scanlan, 1965)

The only systematic study of the process of orientation was
done by Hovland and his associates in 1949 in connection with their
experiments on mass communication. Their main hypotheses were that
a series of orientation films would be an effective method of:

l. improving knowledge of military events for draftees;

2. improving general attitudes of draftees toward the British;

3. motivating men to fight since knowledge, attitude, and moti-

vation were components of the same process.

They found that the series of orientation films were indeed an effective

method of imparting factual information and of changing attitudes on
specific points covered in the film such as the ability of the British
soldier in a certain battle. However, the specific attitude changes
were not accompanied by general improvements in attitudes toward the
British, which was the real target of this aspect of the orientation
program. Furthermore, the program had little effect in motivating

the men to fight.

Hovland et a1. (1949) concluded that the lack of effects of the
program was due to:

1. previous indoctrination of draftees by the news media;

2. the shortness of the orientation program (50 minutes);

3. conflicting motivation, e.g., defending one's country may

lead to injury;

4. the need for a sinking-in period in which to digest the

information.

Using both Scanlan's (1965) statement about orientation and
Hovland's (1949) findings for a point of departure, the question
becomes not one of to have or not to have orientation but one of what
is required to make an orientation program successful. Both Scanlan
(1965) and Dephillips, Berliner, & Cribbin (1960) agree with Savitt
(1965) that a good orientation program achieves two objectives. It
serves the pertinent interests of the new employee and thereby serves
the pertinent interest of the employer. Unfortunately, Savitt doesn't
Specify the nature of these pertinent interests.

Scanlan (1965) is more specific in his delineation of what an

0'rientation program should accomplish. He suggests that an orienta-

tion program should:

1. promote employee identification with the company;

2. set the stage for a high level of motivation by integrating
the interests and goals of the firm with those of the
individual;

3. thoroughly acquaint the new employee with every detail of
his or her new job;

4. lay the groundwork for the establishment of mutually
satisfying social ties between present employees and the
new person.

With the exception of Hovland's study, everything that has been
written on the subject of orientation seems to be the result of arm-
chair theorizing with no reasons given why one's theorizing leads
in a particular direction. What is even more unfortunate is that no
research has been published on any of these model orientation programs
(Scanlan has not submitted his theory to empirical validation).

In January of 1967 the Personnel Office of the Dormitories and
Food Services Division of Michigan State University developed their
own orientation program based on what they, from their experience,
thought should be incorporated into an orientation program. Like
other orientation programs, this program was not the outgrowth of
any particular theory but was simply an attempt to solve their problem
of familiarizing the new employee with the organization in general,
with his or her new job in particular, and with the relation between
the two. The stated objectives of this program were:

1. to create a two-way interest and communication between the

supervisor and the employee;

2. to make an easier, more satisfactory adjustment to the

working area;

to give the employee a feeling of security, understanding,
and of welcome as a member of the residence hall staff;

to show the employee the importance and the responsibilities
of his or her new job, and the relation to his or her
supervisor;

to state exact information on hours, rules, procedure of
job, explanation of the operation of the unit;

to try to sell the employee on becoming an enthusiastic and

sincere member of the Residence Halls Department.

After one year of experience with this program, the Personnel

Office was interested in evaluating the following:

1.

the extent to which the individual dormitory managers used

this program;

what effects, if any, orientation had on employee attitude;
whether or not the time the program required could be justified

on a dollars and cents basis.

In conjunction with the Personnel Office, §_conducted the present

study to answer the following questions:

1.

2.

to what extent was the orientation program being used;

what was the relationship between the employee's knowledge
of the organization and the employee's attitude toward the
organization;

what was the relationship between the amount of orientation
an employee received and that employee's attitude toward the
organization;

what was the relationship between orientation and turnover?

METHOD
Subjects

The §s were fifty-five full-time hourly residence hall employees
at Michigan State University who had been hired after January 1967.
The mean length of employment by the University of §5 was seven
months. Thirty-nine gs were female and sixteen were male. Twenty
§s ranged from forty-five to sixty-five years of age; seven SS ranged
from thirty to fourty-four years of age; and twenty-eight §$ ranged
from fifteen to twenty-nine years of age with a mean age of thirty~
eight years. All §§ had completed at least six years of school and
none had completed more than fifteen years. (See Table 1, p 10)

The §s were selected in the following manner. In those residence
halls where only a few employees had been hired since January 1967, all
the employees hired after this date were interviewed. Where only one
employee had been hired since January 1967, an additional employee,
hired prior to January 1967, was interviewed to reduce any threat to
the employee of being singled out for an interview.

In all other residence halls the employees were selected according
to the following guidelines which approximated the breakdown of the
population of residence halls employees:

1. 50% of §$ were kitchen help; 50% were custodial help;

2. all §s were hired after January 1967;

3. 20% of gs were members of minority groups;

4. 60% of §s were female; 40% were male.

Instrument

 

Each employee completed the Science Research Associates Employee
Inventory (SRAEI) and an achievement test covering various aspects
of the organization. The SRAEI provides an analysis of the employees'
general attitude towards the organization. It has test-retest
reliability of .97, but no figures are published on its validity.

The SRAEI yields three scores: an agree score which reflects
favorable employee attitude toward the organization, a ? score which
reflects uncertainty of attitude, and a disagree score which reflects
unfavorable employee attitude toward the organization. Some of the
questions are phrased negatively so that an agree is scored as a
disagree and vice versa.

The achievement test was composed of twelve items all of which
were included in the orientation program, in the employee handouts,
and in the union contract. Since four of the items had more than one
correct answer, the maximum score for any individual on this portion

of the questionnaire was sixteen.

The questionnaire is included in Appendix II.

Procedure

Prior to administering the questionnaire to the employees, E
personally interviewed each residence hall manager to ascertain the
extent to which each was using the orientation program. The interviews
were structured (see Appendix III) and at no time during the interview
did E divulge the real nature of his research. The managers were
informed via the Department of Residence Halls that §_was studying
personnel practice in connection with his Ph.D. program and that he
would be contacting each of them. Each manager answered a series of
questions in which he revealed the extent to which he was using the
orientation program. The §_then interviewed an employee who had
recently been hired to verify what the managers had told him. Upon
completion of the interview, §_rated the manager on a scale from one
to seven on the amount of orientation used. After E had interviewed
all the managers, he rank ordered them on their attitudes toward the
organization.

Upon completion of the initial interviews E and his assistants
returned to the residence halls to administer the questionnaires to
the employees who were selected according to the sampling procedure
above. Each S was told that the Personnel Office was interested in
the way they felt about their manager, the residence hall they worked
in, and the University in general. Each g was assured that strict
anonymity would be maintained. After §_answered any questions i had,
he gave §_the questionnaire. The E remained in the room while g.
completed the questionnaire in case §_had any difficulties. The

complete procedure is included in Appendix IV.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Table 1 summarizes the means and standard deviations for all

dependent variables in the sample population.

The composition of

this sample population approximates the breakdown of the p0pu1ation

of residence halls employees presented earlier since 60% of the

sample were female (variable 1) and 25% of the sample were members

of minority races (variable 5).

TABLE #1

SUMMARY OF MEANS AND STANDARD DEVIATIONS

 

VARIABLE VARIABLE #
Sex* 1.
No. months employed 2.
Age group** 3.
Highest grade in school 4.
Race*** 5.

Amount of orientation in hours 6.

Knowledge of organization 7.
Agree 8.

? 9.
Disagree 10.

% turnover 11.

* 1 3 male; 2 = female

** 1 = 15-29; 2 = 30-44; 3 = 45-65

*** 1

white; 2 minority

M_EA_N
1.
6.
1.

10.

55.
10.
ll.

34.

70

96

85

89

.32

.85

.98

81

81

65

STANDARD

DEVIATION

 

14.

11.

15.

.45

.06

.93

.16

.47

.96

.12

19

.46

50

89

Table 2 on page 12 presents the Pearson product moment correla-

tions computed between all the variables.

10

The coefficients ranged

11

from -.74 to +.47. Fisher's r to z transformation was used to test
the hypotheses that rxy = 0. On a chance basis one would expect to
find three significant coefficients; sixteen of the coefficients

were significant. Of course certain relationships had to be sig-
nificant such as the relationship between positive attitude (column 8)
and negative attitude (row 10) and the relationship between positive
attitude (column 8) and uncertain attitude (row 9).

The etas computed between all the variables are presented in
Table 3 on page 13. Since eta has a direct relation with the F-test
for association, the formula F = (N-J/J-l) (etaZ/l-etaz), distributed
as F with J-l and N-J degrees of freedom where J is the number of
groups, was used to test the hypotheses that etazyx = 0. On a chance
basis six of the coefficients would be significant; twenty-one of the
computed etas were significant.

As Table 1 indicates, the average amount of time devoted to
orienting new employees is four hours. Four of the dormitory managers
used the orientation program very little; eleven managers used the
complete orientation program; and two of the dormitory managers used
about half of the orientation program. This answers question one -- to
what extent was the orientation program being used.

Question two was concerned with the relationship between the
employees' knowledge of the organization and the employees' attitude
toward the organization. As indicated in Tables 2 and 3 there is not
a significant relationship between the employees' knowledge of the
organization (row 7) and the employees' attitude (column 8). However
this is not the full answer to this question since there are at least

four other points which must be considered when discussing employee

12

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14

attitude: the validity of the instruments used, the importance of
the managers' and supervisors' attitudes in shaping their employees'
attitudes, the type of job involved, and the differences between
employees.

A reliable and valid measure of an individual's attitudes
toward his job is difficult to obtain for many reasons. First of
all there is the question of whether the expressed opinions of an
individual (in this case, expressed on the questionnaire) can be
regarded as indicators of his or her real attitude. Even when these
expressed attitudes correlate with actual behavior, there is still
the question of what the actual relationship between public and private
attitudes is, i.e., an individual may be putting on a "front" for
one reason or another. Finally there is the problem of how well
the questionnaire items lend themselves to representing given
attitudes. All of these problems center around the question of what
the test measures and how well it does so, or in a word, validity.
However, this is not a condemnation of all attitude measures since
carefully constructed instruments can measure attitudes with a high
degree of validity. But this is a condemnation of "canned” attitude
measures such as the SRAEI which can be criticized for their lack of
validity. In addition, Efs ratings could be criticized on the grounds
that they were a result of experimenter bias, e.g., they may have been

' friendliness and openness rather than ratings

ratings of the managers
of the managers' attitudes toward their jobs.
Zalesnik (1956) has pointed out the importance of administrator's

behavior and attitudes in shaping the behavior and attitudes of their

employees. At first glance the results of this survey do not appear

15

to support Zalesnik's findings since managers' attitudes and employees'
attitudes were not correlated at all. A Spearman rank correlation
coefficient was computed between the managers' attitudes and employees'
attitudes; it yielded an rS of .07 which was not significant. Yet at
the same time managers' attitudes and employee turnover were highly
correlated. A Spearman rank correlation computed between these
variables yielded an rS of .70 which is significant at the .01 level.
If one assumes that managers' attitudes must be correlated with
employees' attitudes, one may find these results contradictory. The
answer may be that this assumption is false; or it may be that the
wrong attitudes were sampled, i.e., perhaps the supervisors should
have been interviewed rather than the managers since the supervisors
are the branch of management with whom the employees are in almost
constant contact, from whom the employees receive most of their infor-
mation, and who may be most instrumental in shaping the employees'
attitudes and behavior. This is one possibility. Another possibility
is that a longer period of time (more than seven months) is required
for the attitudes of the managers to have any effect on the attitudes
of the employees. The time factor would resolve the problems
encountered above where managers' and employees' attitudes are
unrelated while at the same time managers' attitudes and employees'
behavior (turnover) are related.

Another important variable operative in shaping the attitude
of the employee toward the organization is the particular combination
of employee and job. Mass training is based on the premise that
persons are more alike than different and that, therefore, one flexible

training program will be able to meet the needs of a majority of the

l6

trainees. However some individuals can not be trained via the
training program route either because they are unable to be trained
or because they don't want to be trained.

As Table 3 indicates the orientation program is having some
effect since there is a significant relation (eta = .49; p<.05)
between the amount of orientation an employee receives (column 6)
and the employees' knowledge of the organization (row 7). At the
same time, however, older persons and persons without a high school
education have the best attitude toward the organization while younger
people and those who have attended college for one or two years
have the worst attitude. Does this mean that the orientation program
has no effect on the young and on the educated? As indicated in
Tables 2 and 3, a significant relationship (eta = .52; p<.Ol) exists
between amount of orientation (column 6) and amount of education
(row 4) indicating that "the educated" are receiving more orientation
than the uneducated. Yet at the same time a significant inverse
relationship (r = -.39; p<.01) exists between amount of education
(column 4) and attitude toward the organization (row 8) indicating
that the orientation training may not be affecting the more educated
individuals in the expected manner.

From the above information it is difficult to say exactly what
affect orientation has on the educated individual, whether the orienta-
tion program should be changed, or whether the person with an above
average educational background should be ineligible for custodial jobs.
These are really selection or placement problems rather than training
problems; but trainers, in this case managers and supervisors, must

realize that even though their training program is flexible, it is

l7

flexible within limits and that there do exist individuals upon whom
the training program will have no effect, or even worse, an adverse
effect.

Question three is concerned with the relationship between the
amount of orientation an employee receives and the employee's attitude
toward the organization. As Tables 2 and 3 indicate, the correlation
between the amount of orientation an employee receives (column 6) and
the employee's attitude (row 8) is not significant. There are two
possible causes for this lack of significance. One possibility is
that a longer period of time may be required for the information
presented in the orientation program to have any effect on employee
attitudes. A second possibility, which has already been mentioned, is
that the SRAEI is not a valid measure of employee attitudes.

Question four is directed at the relationship between orientation
and turnover. Tables 2 and 3 indicate that a significant relationship
(r = -.62; p<LOl) did exist between the amount of orientation
(column 6) and turnover (row 11). This result supports the findings
of Thibaut & Kelley (1959) and of Weitz (1956) that potential outcomes
of new relationships are in large part determined by the early
exploratory interactions of those entering the new relationship. This
result suggests that great care should be taken in the design of an
orientation program so that the initial interactions between the
employer and the employee will increase the likelihood that the
relationship will succeed. Moreover, the cost of orientation ($50.00)
is more than offset by the accompanying decrease in turnover since
each turnover costs the University approximately $750.00.

Orientation is really an endless program. It is never completed

18

and is always in progress permeating and overlapping every other type
of training. Orientation is an attempt to shape the attitudes and
behavior of employees; and, as this survey indicates, there is a
strong relationship between orientation and behavior.

There is a real need for more information on what is essential
for a successful orientation program, especially in this age of
organizational psychology when the social skills of men are being
emphasized. Only when orientation is dissected in the behavioral

laboratory will this goal be attained.

SUMMARY

An orientation program is a process directed at aiding the new
employee in his adjustment to the company. In January of 1967 the
Personnel Office of the Dormitories and Food Services Division of
Michigan State University developed their own orientation program.
After one year of experience with the program, the Personnel Office
was interested in evaluating this program. In conjunction with this
office §_conducted the present study to determine the effects of the
orientation program. ‘g found that the program was being used by a
majority of the managers, that no significant relationship existed
between employee attitude and employee knowledge of the organization,
that no significant relationship existed between amount of orienta-
tion and employee attitude, and that amount of orientation and rate

of turnover were significantly related.

19

.BIBLIOGRAPHY

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Anastasi, Anne. Psychological Testing. New York, The McMillan Co.,
1961.

 

Bass, B. M. & Vaughan, J. A. Training In Industry: The Management
of Learning. Belmont, California, Wadsworth Publishing Co.,
1966.

DePhillips, F. A., Berliner, W. M., & Cribbin, J. J. Management of
Training Programs. Homewood, Illinois, Richard D. Irwin, Inc.,
1960.

 

Handbook of Labor Statistics 1967, U. S. Department of Labor, Bureau
of Labor Statistics.

Hays, W. L. Statistics for Psychologists. New York, Holt, Rinehart,
& Wilson, 1963.

Heron, A. B. Beyond Collective Bargaining. Stanford, Stanford
University Press, 1948.

Hovland, C. I., Lumsdaine, A. A., & Sheffield, F. D. Experiments
on Mass Communication. New York, John Wiley & Sons, 1949.

 

McGehee, W. & Thayer, P. W. Training in Business and Industry. New
York, John Wiley & Sons, 1961.

Labor Relations Yearbook. The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc., 1967.

Planty, E. G., McCord, W.S., & Efferson, C. A. Training Employees
and Managers. New York, The Ronald Press Co., 1948.

 

Savitt, M. A. "A fresh slant on the induction program." Personnel
Journal, 1965, 44, 11, 624-626.

Scanlan, B. K. ”Better orientation training." Training Directors
Journal, 1965, 19, 4, 15-18.

 

Smith, H. C. Psychology of Industrial Behavior. New York, McGraw-
Hill, 1964.

Thibaut, J. & Kelley, H. The Social Psychology of Groups. New York,
John Wiley & Sons, 1959.

 

20

20

Tickner, F. Training in Modern Society. Albany, Graduate School
of Public Affairs, 1966.

 

United States Congress, Government Employees Training Act, Public
Law 507, 85th Congress, 2nd Session, 1958.

Weitz, J. "Job expectancy and survival.” Journal of Applied
Psychology, 1956, 40, 245-247.

 

AP PEND IX

APPENDIX I ORIENTATION PROCEDURE

21

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

RESIDENCE HALLS
HIRING AND INTERVIEW PROCEDURE

Regular full time employees

I.

II.

Action by Unit Manager

The unit needing a replacement employee post the opening through the
Department of Residence Halls as per the Union Contract. Postings are
compiled and sent out every Thursday. If no employees apply for the

position, a Help Requisition (0-230) is completed and forwarded to the
Personnel Office.

The Personnel Office will send-previously screened applicants to the
Unit for interviewing.

The interviewers GManager or Food Service Manager) and immediate supervisor
at this time should be primarily interested in determining how qualified
the applicant is to fill the opening.

A. The Prospective Employee Interview Guide - RH-70 is filled out. Sample
attached.

B. Questions asked of the prospective employee should be open and questions
asked in a manner that will avoid suggesting the preferred answer.

C. The basic information presented to the applicant should include:
1. What a Residence Hall is:

a. Purpose
b. Organization outline and where prospective employee fits in.

2. General job outline and duties

3. Schedule (days and hours)

4. Meal arrangements

5. Whether position is 10 months or 12 months
6. Rate of pay

D. In closing the interview, indicate that you have the information needed
and ask the applicant if he has any questions.

If a decision can be reached on offering the applicant the position,
it may be done at this time pending processing by the Personnel
Office 0

The applicant is referred back to the Personnel Department in any event
and the Personnel Office is notified of the outcome of the interview.

III.

IV.

22

Action by Personnel Office

If accepted, the Personnel Department will process the applicant for employ-
ment. Complete and detailed information is covered with the applicant at this
time. (See attached check list - 0-5316)

A. University rules and regulations concerning wages, hours, and probation-
ary period are covered.

B. Fringe benefits concerning retirement, life insurance, vacation and sick
leave.

C. Union Contract information and parking fee is covered.
D. Applicant signs oath and income tax forms.

E. Applicant is referred to the University Health Center for a physical
- examination.

F. Applicant is sent to the campus police for finger printing and car
registration. ~

Physical Examination

After the physical examination, the examining physician will give the appli-
cant a card that he must turn into the Manager before he goes to work. If
the physician has any notations other than the word "Satisfactory,” the
Personnel Office should be called immediately. This is of extreme importance
and will guard against the University becoming involved in a Workman's
Compensation case for a physical condition existing prior to employment.

Employment Recommendation Form

The Personnel Department sends two (2) copies of the "Employee Recommendation
Form" with the new employee to the unit.

This form is to be completed and signed by the Unit Manager the day the
employee.is hired. The starting rate of pay, meal deduction, account number,
job classification, and starting date are to be given on the form. One (1)
white copy is retained in the unit and the yellow is sent to the office of
the Area Manager and then the Manager of the Residence Halls Department where
it is forwarded to the proper offices.

Notice of Employment

The Personnel Department will send the unit a ”Notice of Employment." This
serves as an official notice that the applicant has become an employee of the
unit. This form and the "Employee Recommendation Form" should be kept in the
employee's folder.

Action by the Unit

The unit fills out the "Residence Halls Employment Record Card," the ”Employee
Information Card" and the "Seniority Card” from the information furnished by
the employee. The "Employment Information Card" and the "Seniority Card"
should be sent to the Office of the Manager of Dormitories and Food Services,
W-185 Holmes Hall, Campus, immediately upon hiring.

'23
V. Labor Payroll Employees (Hiring of New Employees)

A. The time keeper types out a "Seniority Card" (D & FS-lO4) for Manager's
signature.

B. The Time keeper types three (3) time cards for each new employee.

C. Full name, last name first, first name, and middle initial, Rate,
Production Center; Date, Man Number, Account Number.

D. By the time tabulating has received the three typed clock cards, they
will return fifty (50) printed pre-punched cards.

24

VI. Induction Procedure

The length of induction period varies with indiviiuals. It is the
length of time necessary for an employee to feel at home, and to
be adept at his or her job. It may be two (2) weeks and it may
be two (2) months or longer.

Purpose of the Induction Interview:

.A. To create a 2-way interest and communication between supervisor
and employee.

B. To make an easier, more satisfactory adjustment to working area.

C. To give employee a feeling of security, understanding, and of
welcome as a member of the residence hall staff.

D. To show the employee the importance and responsibilities of his
or her job, and the relation to his or her supervisor.

E. To state exact information in hours, rules, procedure of job,
explanation of the operation of the unit, including personnel
and layout and the reasons for such.

F. This is the time when we try to "sell the employee" on becoming
an enthusiastic and sincere member of the Residence Halls Department.

The attached outline is the orientation phase of the new employee hiring
process. It takes place after the employee has completed all processing
external to the building unit. It is intended to be a guideline for
uniform handling of our new employees. As an assurance to you the Unit
Manager, specific check points are physically incorporated into the
process to make certain each new employee is handled the same. This
should be an aid in eliminating wide variances in our new employee
induction procedure.

January, 1967

25

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF RESIDENCE HALLS
NEW EMPLOYEE INDUCTION
RECOMMENDED PROCEDURE GUIDE

TO:

 

 

Immediate Supervisor Employee

 

Department

 

Date of Hire
This outline must be completed and returned to the Manager's Office within
days. Each phase is to be signed by the person responsible for that functional
area, (or the immediate supervisor).

A. Introduction to Immediate Supervisor

1. Be sure employee understands benefit information presented by Personnel.

a. life insurance 3. meal deductions

b. vacation h. Credit Uhion benefits

c. hospitalization i. athletic and recreational
d. probationary period opportunities

e. sick leave j. study opportunities
f. parking facilities

2. Issuance of "New Employee Handout".
a. What to do when sick
b. Supervisor's telephone number (home and office)
c. When is pay day, when does the pay period end
d. Meal and coffee break time and location
e. Issue any keys necessary

B. Unit Time Office
1. Completion of personal data cards

a. Residence Halls Employment Record Card (RHPZ)
b. Employee Information Card (0-2909)
c. Seniority Card (D&FS 104)

. I.D. card forms for signature, picture and duplicate
How to punch in and out

How to interpret overtime listings

Pick up supply of time cards

‘11wa
00

C. Linen Room.and Locker Arrangements

. Issue uniforms

Where to pick up clean uniforms and drop off soiled uniforms
Days when clean uniforms arrive (exchange days)

Locker assignment

How to operate combination padlock

Where lockers are located

Drop off any extra uniforms in locker

NO‘U‘J-‘UNH
o

26

D. Introduction and Welcome

1.

4
5

Personal introduction to Manager, Food Service Manager, all Food
Supervisors and Building Supervisor

Introduction to his fellow workers

Welcome and introduction to all other department employees (may be
made at coffee break)

Location

Review of job outline and duties

Explanation of work schedule

Other necessary information about his job situation (e.g., recipe files,
equipment)

Assignment of an informal "buddy system" (for breaks, etc.)

Actual starting of work

F. Training - go over specific work duties

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

G. Periodic Follow-up

Tell him

Show him

Have him do it

Review and discuss

Test in actual practice

1

 

 

1.
2.

Employee's Signature Supervisor's Signature

Occasional checking to see how everything is going (daily)
Review session at the end of the immediate pay period
a. Reminding employee he will receive his check next pay day

H. Upon completion of induction procedure forward for proper signatures

TO BE RETAINED IN EMPLOYEE'S PERSONNEL FILE
*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

FOR OFFICE USE ONLY
INDUCTION PROCESSING COMPLETED

 

 

 

 

 

 

Immediate Supervisor Date
OR
Food Service Manager Building Supervisor
‘——— Date Date

1Follow through constantly on the quality and speed of the new employee's
work, attitude toward the job and any problems or questions he or she may have.
Keep in very close personal contact with the new employee for several days because
work habits are formed in the first few days. This is the period of time that
"makes or breaks" the attitude of the new employee.

RHr7l (revised April 1, 1967)

APPENDIX II EMPLOYEE QUESTIONNAIRE

27
DO NOT PUT YOUR NAME ON THIS BOOKLET

Dormitory

 

Your Supervisor's Name

 

Sex. Male Female

How long have you worked for the university?

 

Circle the age group you are in 15-30 30-45 : 45-65

What is your job classification?

 

Circle the highest grade you have completed:
Grade School ' High School College

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1o 11 12 13 14 .15 '16..

Purpose of the Questionnaire

MSU would like to know what you think about your job, your pay, your boss, and
MSU in general. These questions are designed:to help you tell us your ideas

and opinions quickly and easily without signing your name. This booklet contains
a number of statements. All you have to do,is to make a circle by each statement

to show how you feel. It is easy to do and you can be completely honest in your
answers. '

How to fill in the Questionnaire

Read each statement carefully and decide how you feel about it. You will agree
with some statements, and you will disagree with others.' You may be undecided
about some. To help you express your opinion, three possible answers have been
placed beside each statement

I would rather work in a large city 5
than in a small town. a o o o o o o ‘A_greev 7 Disagree

Choose the answer most like your own Opinion and circle it.
For example :
This person feels he wants to work in a large city:

I would rather work in a large city f&,_,fl
than in a small town . . . . . . . .,Agreé> ? Disagree

This person wants to work in a small town:

I would rather work in a large city ~»—-—

than in a small town . . . . ,.I . . . Agree ? (lgifjgiEE:)

This person can't decide between a large city and a small town:

I would rather work in a large city . . _ __ I’PX
than in a small town . . . . . . . . Agree ( ? ' Disagree

\

I
.z

28

This is not a Test

 

There are no "right" answers and no "wrong" answers. It is your own, honest
Opinion that we want.

Work Rapidly but Answer all Statements

Do not Spend too much time on any one statement. If you cannot decide about a
statement, circle the "?" mark and go on to the next statement. Some of the
statements may not be worded exactly the way you would like them. However,
answer them the best way you can. Be sure to circle every statement. Leave no
blanks. Mark only one answer for each statement.

When you have Finished

Check to see that you have marked every statement. If you think anything has
been left out or if there is any special thing that is worrying you about your
work, please write or print your comments on the last page of this questionnaire.

The hours of work here are O.K. . . . . Agree Disagree
2. Management does everything possible -

to prevent accidents in our work. . . . Agree Disagree
3. Management is doing its best to give

us good working conditions. . . . . . . Agree Disagree
4. In my Opinion, the pay here is lower

than in other companies. . . . . . . . Agree Disagree
5. They should do a better job of

handling pay matters here. . . . . . . Agree Disagree
6. I understand what the company benefit .

program provides for employees. . . . . Agree Disagree
7. The people I work with help each

other out when someone falls behind

or gets in a tight spot. . . . . . . . Agree Disagree
8. My boss is too interested in his

own success to care about the needs

of employees. . . . ... . ... ..... . . Agree Disagree
9. My boss is always breathing down our

necks; he watches us too closely. . . . Agree Disagree
10. My boss gives us credit and praise .

for work well done. . . . . . . . . . . Agree Disagree
11. (Management here does everything u

it can to see that employees get a

fair break on the job. . . . . . ... . Agree , Disagree

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

25.

26.

27.

28.

29.

29

If I have a complaint to make, I

feel free to talk to the supervisor.

My boss sees that employees are
properly trained for their jobs. . ,
My boss sees that we have the

things we need to do our jobs. . .

Management here is really trying
to build the organization and make
it successful. . . . . . . . . . . .
Management here sees to it that
there is COOperation between
departmentS. o o o O O O o O o o 0

Management tells employees about
university plans and develOpments. .
They encourage us to make sugges-
tions for improvements here. . . . .

I am often bothered by sudden speed-
ups or unexpected slack periods
inmywork.............
Changes are made here with little
regard for the welfare of employees.

'Compared with other employees, we

get very little attention from
management. cocoa-000000
Sometimes I feel that my job counts
for very little in this organiza-'
tion. 0 O O O O O O O O O O O O O O
The longer you work for the univer-
sity the more you feel you belong. .

I have a great deal of interest
in the university and its future. .

I have little Opportunity to use
my abilities in this organization. .

There are plenty of good jobs here
for those who want to get ahead. . .

I often feel worn out and tired
oanjObOooooooooooooo

They expect too much work from us
aroundhere........... ..

Poor working conditions keep me "
from doing my best in my work. . . .

1 Agree

Agree

Agree
Agree

Agree
Agree

Agree

Agree

' Agree

'Agree

Agree

Agree

Agree

Agree

Agree

Agree

Agree

Agree

Disagree
Disagree

Disagree
Disagree

Disagree
Disagree

Disagree

Disagree

Disagree
Disagree

Disagree
Disagree
Disagree
Disagree
Disagree
Disagree
Disagree

Disagree

30.

31.

32.

33.

311.

35.

36.

37.

38.

39.

40.

41.

42.

11-3 O

44 .

['(50

46.

47.

48.

For my kind of job, the working
conditions are O.K. . . . . . . . ,

I'm paid fairly compared with other
employees. O O O O O O O O

Compared with other companies,
employee benefits here are good. . .

A few Of the peOple I work with
think they run the place. . . ._. . .

The peOple I work with get along
W311 together. O O O O O O O O O O

My boss has always been fair in his
dealings With me. O O O O O O O O O O

My boss gets employees to work
together as a team. . . . . . . . . .

I have confidence in the fairness

and honesty of management. . . . . .'

Management here is really interested
in the welfare of employees. . . . .

Most of the higher-ups are friendly
toward emPIOYEESO O O O O O O O O O O

My boss keeps putting things Off;
he jUSt lets things r108. O O O O O O

My boss lets us know exactly what
is expeCted Of us. O O O O O O O O O

Management fails to give clear-cut
orders and instructions. . . . . . .

I know how my job fits in with other
work in this organization. . . . . .

Management keeps us in the dark
about things we ought to know. . . .

Long service really means something
in this organization. O O O O O O O O

You can get fired around here with-
out mUCh cause. O O O O O O O O O O O

I can be sure of my job as long as
I do 800d Worko O O O O O O O O O O O

I have plenty of freedom on the
job to use my own judgment. . . . . .

30'

- Agree

Agree

Agree

......
Agree
Agree
Agree
Agree

Agree

Agree

Agree

Agree.

Agree

Agree

Agree
Agree
Agree

Agree

'Agree

Disagree

Disagree

Disagree

Disagree

Disagree

Disagree

Disagree

Disagree

Disagree

Disagree

Disagree

Disagree

Disagree

Disagree

Disagree

Disagree

Disagree

Disagree

Disagree

49.

50.

51.

52.

53.

511.

55.

57.

58.

59.

60.

31

Everybody in this organization tries
to boss us around. . . . . . .-. ...

I really feel part of this organiza-

tion. O O O O O O O O O O O O'O'O O

The people who get promotions
around here usually deserve them.

I can learn a great deal on my
present job. . . . . . . . . . . . .

My job is often dull and monotonous.

There is too much pressure on.my

jOb. O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

Some of the working conditions here
are annoying.

1

I have the right equipment to do
my worlc. O O O O C O O 0.. 010'. O 0

My pay is enough to live on
comfortably. O O O O O O O O O O O O

I‘m satisfied with the way employee
benefits are handled here. . . . . .

The university's employee benefit
program is OoKO O O O O O O O O O O

The people I work.with are very
friendly. O O O O O O O O O O O O

My boss really tries to get our
ideas about thingSO O O O O O O O O

My boss ought to be friendlier
toward employees. . . . . . . . . .

My boss lives up to his promises. ._

Management here has a very good
personnel pOIiCyO O O O O O O O O O

Management ignores our suggestions.
and complaintS. O O O O O O O O O O

My boss knows very little abOut'
his jOb. . O . . O . . C U . O 0 . .

My boss has the work well organized.

The university Operates efficiently
and 8m00th1yO O O O O O O O O O O O

Management really knows its job. . .

a .

Agree

Agree.

Agree

Agree

Agree

Agree.

Agree

Agree.

Agree

Agree

Agree

Agree

Agree

Agree

Agree

Agree.

Agree

Agree

Agree

Agree

Agree

Disagree

-Disagree

Disagree

Disagree

Disagree
Disagree
Disagree
Disagree
Disagree
Disagree
Disagree
Disagree
Disagree

Disagree

Disagree
Disagree
Disagree

Disagree

Disagree

Disagree

Disagree

70.

71.

72.

73.

74.

75.

76.

77.

78.

32

1

They have a poor way of handling .
employee complaints here. . . . . . . ..... Agree ? Disagree

You can say what you think around
here. O0.000.0000000.0000.0.Agree 7 .Disagree

You always know where you stand

with this company. . . . . . ... . . . . . . Agree ? Disagree

When layoffs are necessary, they

are handled fairly. . . . . . . . . . . . . Agree -? ,., Disagree-
I am very much underpaid for the . .

work that I do. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Agree ? Disagree
I'm really doing something worth- . p . , ‘
while in my job. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Agree _? Disagree
I'm proud to work for the university. . . ._Agree_ . ? Disagree
Answering these questions is a good

way to let management know what , , . _ _ , y _ .

employees think. 0 0 O O 0 O O O O O O O O O Agree ? Disagree
I think some good may come out of . .
answering questions like these. . . . . . . Agree ? ' ’ -Disagree

A

The following questions are about the university and what the university has tO '
offer to you. For some of the questions there' are more than one correct answer.
Circle the correct answer or answers for each question. "'

79.

81.

What is the largest amount of term life insurance you can get through the
university? .

$1,000.00 $2,000.00 $7,500.00 " $10,000.00 $15,000.00 $20,000.00

I . .

Residence Halls employees work only 10 months a year; ‘Other university
employees work 12 months a year. Who-gets more paid vacation?

Other university employees Residence Hall's employees

They both get the same amount of paid vacation; °

How many days paid vacation do employees get who have worked here more than
one year and less than five years?

5 Days 7 Days 9 Days 10 Days 11 Days 13 Days 15 Days
The present union contract ends in what month of what year?

May 1900 June 1900 September 1958 :.....9 1959

What is longevity pay? .

Extra pay for not being sick. . oExtra pay for working after midnight.

Extra pay for having been employed by the university for a certain amount
of time. '

84.

85.

88.

89.

90.

91.

92.

This

33
How long must an employee work at MSU before he gets longevity pay?

1 Year 2 Years 3 Years 4 Years 5 Years 6 Years

How long must an employee work at MSU before MSU will pay for his hospitaliza-
tion - medical coverage?

0 Months 3 Months 6 Months 9 Months 12 Months
For which of the following can MSU employees buy tickets at reduced rates?
Football Games Lectures Concerts Popular Entertainment

MSU Offers a number of non-credit evening-college courses ranging from

cartooning to golf. What amount of education must you have to enroll in
these classes?

No educational requirements Grade School Education
High School Education Two years of college

Where does the money come from to operate your dorm?

From the students tuition From the Federal Government
From the state From the student's board and room
About how many people are employed by all the dorms?

300 700 1000 1500 1800 2500 3000

This dorm is part of which division of the university?

Dormitory Division Men & Women's Housing
On-Campus Housing Residence Halls

Who can join the MSU credit union?

Any university employee. Only faculty and staff

Only union members Only hourly employees

What is the name of your union steward?

Answer here:

 

space is for your comments.

APPENDIX III MANAGER INTERVIEW SHEET

34

MANAGER INTERVIEW SHEET

Dorm:

 

Manager:

 

How prompt is the personnel office in filling your requests?

How efficient would you say the personnel office is?

What do you do during the interview of the prospective employee?
How much time do you spend on this interview?

In your last five to ten interviews, what incident stands out?
Describe the incident in some detail.

What parts of the induction procedure do you handle?

How much time do you spend on these parts?

What parts of the induction procedure do your staff handle?

How much time do they spend on these parts?

How does this sharing of induction work?

Have you observed any types of attitude which you would attribute
to the induction precedure? To any other procedure?

What aspects of the present induction process are satisfactory?
What aspects of the present induction procedure should be changed?
Is there anything that I haven't mentioned which you think should

undergo some form of change?

APPENDIX IV PROCEDURE

35

PROCEDURE
Instructions for Assistants

Usually you will go to the manager's office of the residence
ball you are interviewing employees in. Make sure to give the
manager a c0py of the questionnaire. When interviewing the employee,
a private room is not necessary. A corner of the cafeteria that is
relatively quiet will be okay. Make sure to introduce yourself to
the employee before you read the following:

I'm a student here at M.S.U. Some other students and I are
helping the dormitory managers and their bosses get some information
on how you feel about your job, your pay, your supervisor, and on
how much you know about the University. Your manager will not see
your questionnaire; no one will know what your answers are. Please
do not put your name on this questionnaire. Just fill in the
information spaces at the top of the page, read the directions, and
begin. If you have any questions, just ask me. I'll sit over here

so I won't bother you.

1E8

w,
LW‘
v

We
R

m.

L

STATE