4+1 tips to fit in at your new workplace

1. Be Flexible

First of all, it’s important to be flexible and willing to help. If a colleague asks for your help, give it to him and avoid saying that it’s not part of your job duties. Even if you come across business processes that are unfamiliar to you, keep an open mind and be willing to adapt. Also, your colleagues have been around for a longer period of time, so you might want to look to them for inspiration.

2. Understand and Respect the Corporate Culture 

The corporate culture refers to the dress code and the general set of rules for all employees respect. It’s crucial to be punctual: as a matter of fact, it’s highly recommended to reach the office 5 to 10 minutes earlier than you are supposed to. Also, avoid dressing too casually and avoid being overdressed at the same time.

3. Be Willing to Try New Things

Your new team’s culture will probably be different than your old habits. And more often than not, that’s a good thing. However, it’s easy to default to behaviours that were acceptable in a previous role simply because they feel familiar. But the more you let go of our old routines and try out a few new ones, the easier it’ll be to embrace other, bigger changes.

4. Take Notes

Take both physical and mental notes on what goes on around you. While you're immersing yourself in the culture of the company, also familiarize yourself with some of the other norms. How does your boss react to certain things? What are problems you can provide solutions to? Take a "fly on the wall" mentality while you're settling in to see how the company functions.

+1 Make an Effort to Start Conversations in the Kitchen

When you’re just starting out at a company, every trip to the kitchen for a cup of coffee seems like the biggest ordeal ever. Not only are the people on your team new, snack breaks expose you to everyone. And that can be really, really uncomfortable.

But here’s the thing: You’ll probably be working cross-functionally with a lot of the people you’ll see around the office every day. So take a leap and introduce yourself to a few people. Even if all you do is learn a few names to start, this is a great way to get comfortable in your new job sooner rather than later.