5 ways to discover who you are in a new work environment.
Starting a new job is both an exhilarating and a daunting task. We may know ourselves, but we don't necessarily know who we are in new environments. Check out five ways to start off on the right foot and make smart steps along the way.
#1 Take several tours of the office.
Learn the lay of the land through someone else's eyes...then learn more about it through yet another person's eyes. Asking more than one person for a tour of the office helps you understand the type of environment in which you'll be working. In addition, this is a simple, easy way to get to know fellow colleagues and gain valuable insight from their perspective of the organization's culture, available resources, and common uses of the office space.
#2 Settle into your work space.
Photos of family and friends. A potted plant. Interesting books. Favorite mug. These simple items help increase your daily comfort level and helps introduce your interests and bits of your personality to co-workers. Balance your work space to make it intriguing without being distracting.
#3 Chat with staff from various departments.
The interworkings of an office is essential to the successful operations of the business. By spending time with other functional staff, e.g. accounting, IT, marketing, etc. you discover how they support the work you'll do and, in exchange, you understand what they need from you to be successful at their own jobs. Regardless, of which department generates the most revenue or converts the most customers, each department plays a critical role in making these wins for the company and sustaining the rewards.
#4 Volunteer on a community outreach project or company fundraiser.
This is the time to talk shop less and chitchat more. Leave the tasks, deadlines, and status requests for work hours. Now's the time to roll up your sleeves, get dirty with the selfless project, and laugh and learn with each other. Chat about things and people in your life you're comfortable sharing information about and appreciate what there is to discover about your colleagues.
#5 Check out available professional development resources.
Schedule a visit with your HR team and get details about professional development opportunities. Familiarize yourself with the various areas of the industry the company encourages and supports staff to pursue. Fold these company benefits into your individual career path.
This is just the beginning to discovering how you can fit, contribute, and benefit from your new job. As you keep your ears and eyes open, you'll uncover new methods along the way.