Abstract:
Many organizations use onboarding programs to assist newcomers with the transition process. Are brief social interactions during such programs sufficient to create lasting performance spillovers? Exploiting quasi-random assignment to groups of a two-day freshman orientation program for university students, I find that higher ability peers generate positive effects even three years later. A one SD increase in peer ability improves the academic performance of business administration students by 0.05 to 0.08 SD. I provide evidence that the effects result from the formation of lasting social ties, and that performance spillovers are moderated by the broader social environment of the organization.