New Hires, New Worlds: Metaverse Onboarding and Its Impact on Organizational Socialization

Abstract

Frequent job changes and remote work have made effective onboarding more important—and more challenging—than ever before. As newcomers must quickly internalize organizational values, build relationships, and navigate unfamiliar roles, socialization becomes a critical factor in employee retention and performance. Traditional digital tools like videoconferencing often fall short in replicating key elements of in-person interaction, such as nonverbal cues, shared spatial context, and informal communication. In response, organizations are beginning to explore immersive technologies like the metaverse to bridge this gap. However, despite growing managerial interest, little is known about whether metaverse-based onboarding can meaningfully support newcomer socialization. Therefore, this study compares onboarding experiences in Zoom and a metaverse platform (Glue) through lab and online experiments. By investigating how immersive environments shape socialization processes, we offer theoretical and practical insights into designing more effective remote onboarding strategies for the future of work.