When you’re the new hire, the anxiety over sliding into a preexisting web of relationships can be downright anxiety-inducing. Here’s how to avoid letting your nervousness get in the way of new friendships:
1. Start Strong
Don’t put off meeting everyone. It can be tempting to hide at your desk and wait for things to happen naturally. Instead, be proactive — by taking the initiative to introduce yourself to everyone and learn about your coworkers, you’re making them feel more comfortable about having you there as well.
2. Listen More, Talk Less
It’s just the simple truth: people love talking about themselves, and those who listen feel like saints. Be interested in your coworkers. Ask them about their lives, hobbies, pasts, and futures. This gesture goes a long way.
3. Bring Snacks
People also love food. That’s why you should be the giver of food. While it would be perhaps a bit heavy-handed on day one, bringing food (doughnuts, cake, cupcakes, etc.) in on Friday as a thank-you to everyone will seal the deal of a great first week.
4. Go to the Office Hangout Spot
Your coworkers may congregate around the break room, the table outside, the water cooler, or the ping-pong table. Wherever this point is, be there. Make it a point to socialize with your coworkers during short breaks. This incorporates you into the rhythm of the workplace and brings you into the company culture.
5. Be Yourself
It’s cliché, but if you put on a quickly deteriorating front your first week, people may not know what to make of you. Be polite but not obsequious — too much fawning can make you seem desperate, insecure, and even insincere. You’ll also save a lot of emotional energy by not having to maintain a front.
Works Cited
“5 Best Ways To Break The Ice With Your Coworkers.” New Woman, 14 Feb. 2017, www.newwomanindia.com/5-best-ways-break-ice-coworkers/.
Johnston, Bryan. “5 Ways to Break the Ice with Your Colleagues as a New Employee.” CareerAddict, 19 Oct. 2017, www.careeraddict.com/5-ways-to-break-the-ice-with-your-colleagues-as-a-new-employee.
