Final answer:
The anticipatory phase is the stage of organizational socialization that occurs before joining an organization where individuals learn about the job, culture, and values to see how they fit in.
Step-by-step explanation:
In organizational socialization, the anticipatory phase occurs before one joins the organization. During this phase, the individual learns about the organization's job needs, culture, values, as well as how their personal needs, values, and skills might align with those of the organization. Sources for this information can include the internet, current employees, or other publicly available materials. Understanding this phase is crucial, as it sets the foundation for ongoing onboarding processes and subsequent socialization stages such as the encounter and change and acquisition phases.
The anticipatory phase prepares potential employees to enter an organization with some foundational knowledge that can ease the transition during the orientation period, and it is an essential component of effective organizational socialization, which contributes to job satisfaction, productivity, and retention within the workplace.