Newcomer psychological health profiles : a latent transition analysis

Rather than focusing on performance as the ultimate outcome in organizational and vocational research, it has been argued that psychological health represents a far more relevant outcome given its pervasive impact on employee's lives, including their work performance. This longitudinal study examined the various combinations of work and non-work psychological health indicators observed among distinct profiles of newly hired employees (N = 604; Mage = 42.34; 53.4 % males). This study also assessed the stability and generalizability of employee profiles and profile membership over a six-month period. Latent profile analysis revealed six stable newcomer profiles: Apathetic, Detrimental, Normative-Comfortable, Optimal, Workaholic, and Distressed. Newcomer socialization, particularly in relation to the organization and workgroup functioning, were linked to membership into profiles characterized by more favourable psychological states. The profiles were also related to turnover intention, performance, and physical symptoms, highlighting the connection between negative psychological states and adverse outcomes at the organizational and individual levels.