How to be the best new employee
Being the new guy or girl can be intimidating. Sometimes, the first day is reminiscent of the first days of high school or university. But it’s also exciting. This is a fantastic opportunity to really showcase yourself as an employee and person. You will shortly become a meaningful part of the organisation you’re joining.
Here are our best tips on how to be the best new hire possible.
Online stalk the company, talk to any existing employees you know and understand the culture
This is something you’ve likely done before your first interview. Checking out the company culture is super important when it comes to making the decision to join a business. Whether you researched this aspect for the interview or not, do it before you start in your role. This will give you an understanding of the workspace. Is it relaxed? Is it corporate? Are they friendly? Are they diverse? What kind of people will you be working with? Having some background knowledge can boost your confidence going into a workplace.
Get to know your team (and boss)
After you’ve started, get to know the people you work closely with including your boss. When you know what they like and don’t like when it comes to work you’ll be able to help offer solutions to their problems or simply cheer them up. It also pays big time to build relationships with your team as you’ll be working with them a lot.
It’s great to be great to be inquisitive and ask questions to all your new colleagues around the office. When other people see that you are interested and friendly, they tend to like you.
Understand the business/industry
In some IT roles or general corporate roles, sometimes the work we do isn’t always totally specific to the industry which we work. In any case, whether it is or isn’t we should absolutely educate ourselves on the business we are in. Having a broader understanding even when our job won’t directly involve certain aspects is taking true initiative. It will help in all aspects from innovation to problem-solving.
Be a ‘yes’ person
In a new role, sometimes the unfamiliar can be scary. But doing tasks that are asked of us that we’re not completely sure about is so necessary. For one thing, you step out of your comfort zone and grow. You can learn something new, something you will likely use again in this role. And you will become someone who is reliable, who people gravitate towards. In saying all that, if you have absolutely no clue what you’re doing, still say yes! Just be sure to ask your colleagues for help. Say, ‘yes, I’d love to help you with this, do you mind if I make sure X has time to help me with it?’ On that note, don’t be afraid to ask questions and make sure you’re doing things correctly.
Do not complain!
Let’s say you’ve been in your new role for about two months now… and you’re complaining? Not a good look. Never position yourself as someone who is ungrateful in their work. Yes, sometimes stuff can get stressful or sometimes people can be difficult. But it’s best to handle yourself with respect for others and the company. In every case, there are exceptions to the rule. For example, if something occurred that was inappropriate it is okay to report this complaint to HR.
Offer help and assistance where you can
No matter what for or who for, people really appreciate someone who is willing to help them.
Give 100% and then some more
When it comes to being the new employee it’s important that you show your boss and company that they made the right decision in hiring you. You not only have to be a good fit with your colleagues, but you also have to go above and beyond for your work. Maintain a strong work ethic (see how in this blog). Be punctual, be productive, and show off the talented, efficient person that you are.