6 Tips To Succeed At The New Workplace
Joining a new job is a daunting, hard task. There’s so much at stake, and so much more you have to keep in mind. For anyone who has ever joined a new job, you know how those insecurities creep in, how a thousand questions plague you and you start doubting yourself and your abilities much before you even start your first day at work. We understand that emotion, and that is why we thought we’d put together a short and simple list of ideas and top tips that will help you keep your insecurities at bay, and become successful at your new job, regardless of the industry you’re from!
1. STICK TO YOUR WORK SCHEDULE
Set up a schedule for your work day, and STICK TO IT. In the initial days, you could either be bombarded with work, or not have much to do at all depending on what kind of company you join, and when. Either way, it is important to plan out your day efficiently and religiously follow that. One way to do it is to set up a Job Status Report sheet that records all your tasks, their start date, deadline, current status and other details, that you can fill in every evening before the end of your work day and review every morning before you start your work day so you have no trouble staying on schedule!
2. ADOPT A GOOD ATTITUDE
If you’re working remote during this pandemic, this is a lot easier to do, but if you shuttle in and out of an office, take care of what kind of attitude you present to your colleagues. Avoid office gossip diplomatically — when you sense it coming your way, say things like “I’m sorry, I have an important thing that needs my attention” to get out of it, or avoid the scenario altogether. Be positive, helpful, friendly, and most importantly, respectful. Take into account that you are invading an already well-watered ecosystem and it will take time for you to adjust and become a part of the environment. Don’t force it, let it happen naturally.
3. BE PROFESSIONAL
Apart from sticking to your schedule, be professional in all aspects —be punctual, ask relevant questions, be proactive, pay attention during meetings and take notes, avoid personal conversations with co-workers, and above all, show that you have self-discipline and need little to no supervision. This allows your supervisors to trust you faster and welcome you into the professional setup quicker. A simple hack for seeming extremely professional is to record and document everything. For instance, if you have a verbal/telephonic conversation with your boss and they ask you to do something, ensure you send them an e-mail afterwards confirming the same; this not only records and proves the telephonic conversation you had and cross-checks the details of the task issued, but also makes you look very professional!
4. GET ALONG WITH OTHERS
As silly as that might sound, what we’re trying to say is “pick your battles”. Be a team player, get into the groove with your ecosystem, and then you can fight what’s wrong with it. There might be many things that seem wrong to you when you join a new workplace, but you don’t need to unless they are assigned to you as YOUR fires to put out. You should wait to have most people on your side before you start fighting the system. Surround yourself with people with positive, productive attitudes and a good work ethic, so you can grow within the system. A word to the wise: You don’t have to win all the battles to win the war.
5. DRESS APPROPRIATELY
With more and more people going back to the office to work, we can’t stress on this enough. Find out your company’s dress policy, and dress accordingly. Fitting in visually with your colleagues plays an important part in making it easier for you into being accepted at the workplace. While you shouldn’t judge someone by their appearance, unfortunately, people do — ALL THE TIME. So, pay attention to how you dress. Understand the vibe and rules of the company. Observe when you go in for interviews, and don’t be afraid to ask HR what the dress policy is. You don’t want to be under-dressed (or over-dressed, for that matter!), but above all, you want to look presentable and neat, regardless of what the rules say!
6. FOLLOW THE RULES
Last but not the least, understand the rules your company has, and adhere to them. Make sure to pay attention during the company’s orientation; ask questions if you have any, or are feeling unsure about the specifics of any particular rules. Following rules will keep you out of trouble and your superiors will look at you as someone who is responsible and mature. Remember, as an employee you represent your company, so your actions — especially at work-related events — speak volumes about the company itself. Make a good impression, and you’ll have no problems adjusting professionally.