Detrimental Effects of Newcomer Person-Job Misfit on Actual Turnover and Performance: The Buffering Role of Multidimensional Person-Environment Fit

Researchers of person–job (P-J) misfit have suggested that newcomers who “misfit” with their job often perform poorly and eventually leave the organization. However, no known studies have examined ways to alleviate the negative impacts of newcomers’ P-J misfit. Based on the theory of work adjustment and the spillover model of person–environment fit, we explore whether newcomers’ fit with the social context (i.e. person–group P-G] and person–organization P-O] fit) and interpersonal relationships (i.e. person–mentor P-M] and person–supervisor P-S] fit) can buffer the detrimental outcomes of newcomers’ P-J misfit. Using data from two field studies with time-lag and multi-source research designs, the results consistently show that: (1) newcomers’ P-G fit buffered the positive relationship between their initial N–S misfit and subsequent actual turnover, (2) newcomers’ P-M fit buffered the negative relationship between their initial D-A misfit and subsequent task performance. Theoretical and practical implications are also discussed.