Getting a new job has always been a stressful event for every person. But why do people find it extremely difficult and stressful? I think it happens due to unbridled fear of uncertainty, lack of professional skills, knowledge and experience.
I’m a sensitive person and when I get a new job, I automatically start worrying and asking myself too many odd questions. My obsessive chain of what-if-questions really drives me crazy, steals my confidence and even fills my heart with fear or diffidence.
As a reasonable and rational thinking personality, I usually suppress my negative thoughts and put an end to obsessive thinking by sticking to common rules, standards and tips on how to become an indispensable part of a new work team in a quite short period of time.
While these seven tips are effective, sometimes employees have to face the challenges of abnormal situations in different spheres of life, especially career. Even if you do everything right at work, the work team will always be divided into your friends and haters. You shouldn’t get upset about it, but realize that you’re not a dollar to be loved and respected by everyone.
If some of your coworkers feel an antipathy towards you, keep calm and try to find a different approach to them. It will help you handle the situation and prove everyone that you’re a friendly, successful and valuable worker. I hope my experiences will help you quickly adapt to your new work environment and win the respect of your coworkers.
1. First impression is crucially important
When you’re crossing the threshold of a new office, you should remember that your success, reputation and status depend on the impression you’ll make during the first 5 minutes of the conversation with your potential coworkers. They will pay considerable attention to your appearance, words, manners, mindset and stand in life.
Nowadays every company has its own rules, standards, traditions, including dress code. By all means, try not to stem the tide by expressing your individuality through clothing, because such inequality will certainly trigger conflicts and indignation within the work team, and turn its members against you.
Furthermore, make sure you control your emotions and behave in a confident way, because your eyes reflect your inner emotional state like a mirror. If you feel that your fear and anxiety are going out of control, try to prevail over them, using different meditation techniques that will quickly stabilize your emotional well-being.
2. Adhere to the golden mean
Communication with new colleagues is an incredibly challenging thing. You should always keep in mind that every person has its own comfort zone, stereotypes, views and principles.
Some easy going personalities can quickly open their hearts to you and become your friends, while others need a bit of a reality check and don’t want someone like you to penetrate their comfort zone and thrust your friendship to them. If you see that someone keeps a distance from you, it’s desirable just to accept it and show respect for their opinion.
If you want to speed up the acquaintance process, try to speak the language of your colleagues. Use their slang and avoid obscure words, phrases or jokes. This way, you’ll turn from a stranger into a respected insider in a twinkling of an eye. But you should always remember about the rule of the Golden Mean. This rule is the guarantee of your success in both your life and career. The main thing is not to go too far in everything you do.
More: 5 Life Skills That Will Help You Find Your Dream Job
3. Keep a stiff upper lip
As a newcomer, you should be mentally ready to deal with mobbing and other types of emotional pressure. Have you ever thought about why workmates mock the newcomers and each other?
It usually happens when they either hate each other cordially or want to check the strength of the newcomer’s character and get to know how they act in different stressful situations. This kind of an acid test gives them an opportunity to see your true colors, strong points and weaknesses. At any rate, you should do all possible and impossible things to remain unprovoked, even if your coworkers decide to get on your nerves.
They might start abusing their position and become impudent by asking you to do numerous tasks you’re not responsible for. In such a case, you should let them know that you’re ready to help them, but you won’t clean the office alone or work overtime on a regular basis. Propose them to assign the tasks fairly. It’s crucially important to state your proposition firmly, but calmly.
4. Make a first step
I know that it’s very difficult to take the initiative, but this habit is the key to a happy, harmonious and successful life. If you’ve just got a job, show your worth and earn favorable reputation. Remember, you’ll never achieve a desirable result, until you find common language or make friends with your colleagues.
You live in the society where the business sphere is round like the Earth. From time to time you’ll meet and have to deal with the same people. But how can you establish and maintain good relations at work?
The newcomer should learn to make the first step. You may invite your coworkers to celebrate a birthday, anniversary or something else together. You’ll have a chance to communicate in a relaxed, cheerful and friendly atmosphere. But be careful and try not to overshoot the mark, because sometimes too much familiarity can breed contempt.
5. Find a team-mate
Just because you’re at work you shouldn’t spend all the time alone like an ole eagle. Effective and productive teamwork has become the main priority for many companies. Every member of the team, as an essential part of a big mechanism, has to work hard and cooperate with others successfully. Those who don’t satisfy these requirements are fired. The company can do it just for the sake of its stability and prosperity. If you don’t want it to happen, you should do your best to establish good work relationships with all your coworkers.
In case you find it too difficult, try to get on well with at least one team-mate and ask them to bring you up to date. As soon as you enlist the support of an experienced and respected team member, you’ll significantly rise in other colleagues’ estimation and become more confident.
Don’t fear to ask for such a help. Many people can’t imagine their lives without mentoring. They become mentors for various reasons. It usually boosts their confidence and ego, increases their professionalism and even improves karma, because gratuitous help is the choice of kind-hearted and wonderful people.
6. Keep your tongue in check
Your tongue can be either your friend or the worst enemy. During the trial period it’s strongly recommended to keep a still tongue in your head. Before you utter a word, you should always think what you say, to whom and what for. It’s important because one day every word or phrase said by you may be used against you by your workmates.
When you’re among your colleagues, you’d better speak on the case and ask everything only about the specifics of your work. They may start spreading rumors about the others in your presence, but you should keep silent and resist the temptation to add your two cents. If you say something bad about other team members behind their backs, they’ll certainly get to know about it.
More: 6 Situations Where Women Benefit By Not Saying “I’m Sorry”
7. Try to be a source of positivity
Positive people with a perfect sense of humor are always worth their weight in gold. If you’re one of them, then you should take advantage of this wondrous God-Given quality and realize that all the doors are open to you. No matter whether you’re a mature and professional specialist or not, a frank smile is a magic thing that makes even a newcomer an extremely attractive and confident person.
Have you ever noticed that the personalities who smile and carry positivity regardless of everything are always surrounded by lots of people? Without a doubt, smile and positive attitude are the secrets of their attraction. Every time you meet your colleagues face to face, smile for the sake of your success.
If you want to adjust to a new work team, consider following these pieces of advice. The main point is to behave naturally and remember that you’re individuality. Do you adjust to a new job quickly? What other ways to get along with colleagues do you know? Share your tips with us.