Flourishing in New Environments: How Proactive Feedback‐Seeking and Self‐Efficacy Enhance Leader‐Member Exchange and Thriving

Thriving at work—characterized by vitality and learning—has generally been treated as a static outcome rather than a dynamic process unfolding during organizational entry. Drawing on a three‐wave survey of 80 US‐based newcomers, this study probes how proactive feedback‐seeking behavior (FSB) and self‐efficacy jointly influence leader–member exchange (LMX) and, subsequently, newcomers’ thriving. Data were collected before employment (Time 1), 3 months post‐entry (Time 2), and 6 months post‐entry (Time 3) and analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 25 and PROCESS v.4.1. The findings show that FSB positively predicts LMX, with this effect magnified for newcomers holding higher self‐efficacy. LMX, in turn, mediates the relationship between FSB and thriving, indicating that proactive efforts to seek feedback build superior leader–member bonds that drive newcomers’ well‐being and adaptability. Moreover, self‐efficacy strengthens the indirect effect of FSB on thriving via LMX. By positioning FSB as an underexplored, agentic driver of thriving, this research underscores the importance of proactive newcomer behaviors and self‐efficacy during socialization. Although the study focuses on a US context, its insights offer a foundational framework for organizations and scholars aiming to foster newcomer thriving in diverse cultural environments.