Onboarding Communication as a Sensemaking Process: Experiences of International Employees in Denmark
Author
Radford, William Vidar
Term
4. term
Publication year
2026
Submitted on
2026-05-31
Abstract
This thesis examines how international employees in Denmark interpret onboarding communication as a sensemaking process and how these interpretations shape their motivation and perceived support in the early stages of employment. Drawing on Karl Weick’s sensemaking theory and Herzberg’s two-factor theory, onboarding is approached not as a neutral transfer of information, but as an active, social, and interpretive experience through which newcomers construct meaning about their role, their place in the organization, and whether they are valued as individuals. Empirically, the study is based on four qualitative, semi-structured interviews with international employees working in Danish organizations, analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. The findings indicate that international employees actively make sense of their onboarding through social interactions, communicative cues, and discrepancies between expectations and reality, and that clear communication, social support, and opportunities to ask questions can enhance feelings of safety, belonging, and motivation. In contrast, limited or ambiguous onboarding communication can lead to uncertainty, isolation, and reduced motivation. The analysis also suggests that the boundary between Herzberg’s hygiene and motivator factors is less clear-cut for international employees, as elements such as relationships, supervision, and pay can also act as motivators depending on how individuals interpret their experiences. Overall, the thesis concludes that organizations’ communicative choices during the first weeks of employment are crucial for whether international employees experience support, belonging, and motivation in their new roles, and it highlights the need for more deliberate and tailored onboarding communication toward an international workforce.
Dette speciale undersøger, hvordan internationale medarbejdere i Danmark fortolker onboardingkommunikation som en sensemaking-proces, og hvordan disse fortolkninger påvirker deres motivation og oplevelse af støtte i de første faser af ansættelsen. Med afsæt i Karl Weicks sensemaking-teori og Herzbergs to-faktor teori behandles onboarding ikke som en neutral overførsel af information, men som en aktiv, social og fortolkende proces, hvor medarbejdere skaber mening omkring deres rolle, deres plads i organisationen og hvorvidt de føler sig værdsat. Empirisk bygger specialet på fire kvalitative, semistrukturerede interviews med internationale medarbejdere ansat i danske organisationer, analyseret gennem refleksiv tematisk analyse. Resultaterne viser, at internationale medarbejdere aktivt skaber mening ud fra sociale interaktioner, kommunikative cues og forskelle mellem forventninger og virkelighed, og at tydelig kommunikation, social støtte og mulighed for at stille spørgsmål kan styrke oplevelsen af tryghed, tilhørsforhold og motivation. Mangelfuld eller uklar onboardingkommunikation kan derimod føre til usikkerhed, isolation og svækket motivation. Analysen peger samtidig på, at grænsen mellem Herzbergs hygiejne- og motivationsfaktorer er mindre entydig for internationale medarbejdere, da eksempelvis relationer, supervision og løn også kan virke motiverende, afhængigt af hvordan den enkelte fortolker sine erfaringer. Overordnet konkluderer specialet, at organisationers kommunikative valg i de første uger af ansættelsen spiller en afgørende rolle for, om internationale medarbejdere oplever støtte, tilhørsforhold og motivation i deres nye job, og det fremhæver behovet for mere bevidst og målrettet onboardingkommunikation i mødet med en international arbejdsstyrke.
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