HappyLifestyleJournal
Starting a new job can be very stressful. A new working environment brings new rules and numerous new people who are already used to working with each other. Naturally, you feel the need to be accepted and want to fit in well with the people you’re going to work for. Will you have coffee breaks by yourself or will you manage to socialize? Will you be able to do the job you were hired to do well? Are you worried about not being able to reach up to the expectations?
Being a new employee at a company can be tough at first. Your new colleagues don’t know you and are probably already grouped and have some kind of collegial harmony. You probably want to become one of them and establish a good relationship with your new co-workers. Your new boss doesn’t actually know how good you are at your job before you prove it. Thinking about all these things can make you anxious and stressed out, but in order to avoid stress in your first week at a new job and make everything go as smoothly as possible, read the tips below and follow through.
1. Make a good first impression
First impressions are very important, as people usually decide whether they like you or not based on what they hear and see first. Once you come to work for the first time, make sure you’re polite but not too shy and timid towards your co-workers as well as your supervisors. Show confidence, but don’t be rude and avoid showing off. Try being as genuine as possible, and don’t be afraid to engage in small talk with your colleagues. However, remain professional around everyone, at least for the first couple of weeks – after that, depending on the situation in the company, you can relax around your co-workers up to a certain level, but don’t let your guard down around the supervisors.
2. Remember your colleagues’ names
Remembering the names of your colleagues during the first week can be difficult, especially if there are many employees. However, in order to establish a good working relationship, you should definitely try to learn them. However, if you don’t manage to memorize all the names, make sure you know what to say when they realize you don’t know theirs. You could say that you memorize faces, but you’re bad with names. Whatever you say, make sure that they don’t think that you haven’t learned their name because they are insignificant, but because everything is so new to you and you’re just getting accustomed.
3. Head out from home earlier in order to make sure you’re not late
Arriving late, especially when you’ve just started working at your new company, can look very unprofessional and can be extremely stressful for you. Until you get used to the road to work and determine just how much time you need to get there, leave home a little earlier. It is always better to arrive earlier than late. After a short period, you’ll know exactly how much time you need to get to work from home, and you won’t have to think so much about it.
4. Follow the dress code
If you’re just about to go to your new place of work for the first time, it would be good to find out what the dress code is. You could simply ask your new supervisor or interviewer once you get the job what you should wear. This may sound awkward, but showing up dressed inappropriately would be much worse.
If you don’t want to ask anyone about the way you should dress, but you do want to fit in, you could look for pictures on the company’s website and see what the employees are wearing.
If there’s no website or a way to find out how you should dress, wearing a shirt and pants would be a safe choice to make. The important thing here is not to get over or underdressed, so find a medium.
5. Become friends with someone who’s worked there for a long time
Take some time to figure out who has been working for the company for a long time, and try to make friends with that person. At least be friendly with them and see if they can show you around and help you adapt more easily. It’s always good to have a colleague who you can ask where the toilet is or to explain something you don’t understand.
6. Ask questions to learn everything you need to know
The first week at a new job is all about soaking in as much as possible and learning how things are done at the company. By asking questions about all you want to know and don’t understand, you will win your colleagues over, and you will also improve your chances of adapting and fitting in. Once you get all the answers you need, you’ll be less likely to stress because you’ll be more in control over the situation.
7. Get organized from the start
When you start a new job, you receive a lot of new information and get several new assignments. Without good organization, you’re likely to get lost really quickly. So, get organized from the start, as it will make your job and life easier in the long run. If you’re not a well-organized person, make it your challenge to become one.
