How To Break the Ice With the Team As a New Hire

There are few big life changes you can make other than starting a new job. Not only do you want to perform well, you also want to make a good impression on your co-workers and supervisors. It’s normal to have a wide range of emotions when starting a new job: nervous, excited, and scared, are common! Relationship building starts on your very first day on the job, so just like you prepare for an interview, it’s important to prepare for making a great first impression.

Here are some new employee tips on how to do just that:

A simple greeting and a smile go a long way. You may be nervous but engaging with other employees by asking open-ended questions such as "How was your weekend?", will show that you are approachable and friendly. Showing general interest in your coworkers will help to set the tone of your working relationships from the very beginning.

Being the “new kid” may be a bit intimidating but taking your breaks in the breakroom allows you to meet other employees on a more relaxed level. This means looking up from your phone so you can engage in conversation. This is also a great time to refer to Step 1. Spending time with your co-workers, and sometimes even supervisors, in the breakroom allows for insights on how to continue making a positive impact in your job. Be aware of your conversation when talking with a peer or a supervisor because even though it’s the breakroom, and you may technically be “off the clock”, all of your conversations should remain professional!

Helping co-workers is a great way to not only learn more about their role, but it helps to maintain a team atmosphere, and lets your fellow team members know that you’re looking out for them. If someone needs help transferring a resident, offer to help. If you notice another is having a difficult time getting their residents to the dining room for dinner, ask if they need an extra hand. Everyone likes working with a team player.

The expertise you’ve gained on the job gives your team a fresh perspective through your eyes. This can be a huge benefit, but there is a right time for suggestions. Suggesting changes too early could come off wrong to your team members and instead of helping, you may end up offending them. Luckily, there is a right way to share your insight. Ask questions first instead of being quick to offer advice. Allow some time to understand the organization and processes before jumping in to share your opinions and suggestions. Being open to learning the way your new team handles their processes first before offering advice, will give lots of credibility to your suggestions when the time comes.

A team can’t function well if its members can’t be counted on. Dependability is a sure way to show other staff members that you’re dedicated. Being a dependable team member really has two parts. You need to be dependable in your work, and dependable with your attendance. In your work, dependability comes when you follow through with tasks that get assigned and can be counted on when there may be an unexpected need. In order to be dependable with your attendance, make sure that you arrive to work on time (arriving a bit early is even better) and try to keep your time off to a minimum and pre-scheduled. Everyone has to take time off of work unexpectedly every now and then. When this happens, make sure that you call-in as soon as you know you can’t make your shift or will be late. It is always good to ask your supervisor if you can offer any help in getting coverage to replace your shift at work.

6. Keep a positive attitude

You might be surprised how much impact attitude can have on a team, positive or negative. It’s always important to stay positive for your team, but even more so when you first start a new job. Work stress is inevitable and if you need support it’s okay to ask for it. Knowing when you need to rely on your team members is actually an astute skill, but there is a right way and a wrong way to approach asking for help. Make sure you come to your team and address any issues objectively, and offer solutions. It impacts everyone negatively if you simply complain and offer no insight on how to correct problems. Sometimes other team members might have a negative attitude. It’s important to be aware of the negativity, and offer positive responses that are compassionate. Negativity in the workplace can be an opportunity for you to bring your teammates together by letting them see your positive reactions.

Being the new employee can be stressful but implementing some of this advice for starting a new job will help you feel at home by the start of week 2. You've got this!