The three phases of Organizational Socialization according to Feldman's Model include:
- Anticipatory socialization - this phase occurs before an employee has started a new job within a particular company. During this phase, they may do some research or receive some information about the company before they commence working there. If they talk to current or previous employees before starting the job, this may affect their opinion of the company. The new employee may also form their own opinions based on the type of interview they had and the type of communication they have had since from the company.
- Encounter - just as the name suggests, this phase is when the employee 'encounters' their new workplace for the first time. Throughout this time, they will form their initial impressions of the company and of their fellow colleagues. Some companies may offer induction programs to help new employees deal with this period.
- Change and acquisition - this is the final phase and describes when the new employee has mastered their training and acquired the skills needed to feel more confident in the role. They may feel like they 'fit in' more within their team and may feel more in control. New employees are not usually expected to be experts in the new role or be totally confident at the beginning so this final stage will usually happen for individuals after different periods of time in a new job. It will probably depend on factors such as their experience, readiness to learn and ability to adapt to new situations.