Between belonging and betrayal: employees' critical experiences of fit and misfit in organisational adaptation

Purpose Organisational adaptation is explored as a dynamic interpretive process shaped by employees' experiences during organisational entry. By focusing on critically perceived adaptation experiences, the study examines how everyday interactions and organisational signals contribute to divergent adaptation trajectories, crystallising in experiences of belonging or betrayal. Design/methodology/approach The study employs an interpretive qualitative design combining a modified critical incident technique with reflexive thematic analysis. Data were collected via an online survey from 300 employees working in Polish organisations, who retrospectively described their most affirming and most eroding adaptation experiences following organisational entry. The analysis focused on identifying recurring interpretive mechanisms across accounts. Findings Rather than constituting a discrete outcome of onboarding, adaptation emerged as a sequential sense-making process unfolding over time. Four interrelated mechanisms were identified through which organisational entry was interpreted and evaluated, shaping divergent adaptation trajectories. The interpretation of symbolic and interactional signals proved central in stabilising experiences of belonging or, conversely, betrayal, often independently of formal structures or material resources. Research limitations/implications The findings are based on retrospective self-reports collected within a single national context, which may influence recall and interpretation. Future research could employ longitudinal and cross-context designs to trace adaptation trajectories as they develop over time. Practical implications Effective adaptation cannot be reduced to formal onboarding procedures. Managerial responsiveness, everyday interactional practices, and attention to critical moments during early employment play a decisive role in how organisational membership is interpreted. Originality/value Presented study advances understanding of organisational adaptation by reframing it as an interpretive process rather than a procedural stage of entry and by conceptualising belonging and betrayal as emergent outcomes of employees' lived experiences.