Settling into a new team

Once you’ve completed the application process for a job, you’ve smashed the interview and bagged yourself the job, your thoughts then turn to the sometimes-daunting task of meeting the team! Although it can be a first day stress point, becoming an integrated part of the team will help you feel more comfortable in your role. It should be an exciting part of your new job and turning up prepared is definitely the key to success! We have some tips and ideas that can help you settle in well with your new colleagues.

Firstly, accept that things might be a little different right now

Your job search must have had its challenges due to the odd circumstances 2020 has brought us and your first day in your new job will be the same. Although things are a little different at the moment and meeting your new colleagues can feel a little weird over video calls, you should try your best to get comfortable with your colleagues and show yourself for who you really are. You may not be able to shake hands and have the usual office gossip, but you can have a good old first day chat and get to know each other.

Try and prepare yourself for a day of introductory calls and seeing a lot of new faces on your screen. It’s normal not to remember everyone’s name but at least you can run to the kitchen for a cuppa when you need a little break from it all. It will get easier and you’ll adapt to meeting your new team online and meeting them in person might be something you can look forward too.

Be prepared for that little introduction

As much as we all hate that moment our boss asks us to introduce ourselves and share a little bit about ourselves, we all know it’s coming. So, it’s probably best to prepare for this so you’re not just put on the spot and feeling awkward.

Introduce yourself, your new job role and what you will be doing in the team. What were you doing in your previous role and how do you want to achieve your goals? You could also add in a few personal details about yourself but that’s up to you!

Find a mentor

It’s common for companies to have a mentor or ‘buddy’ system in place, so you can learn your way around the workplace and your day-to-day duties. It is good to ask this person about their experiences and learn what they do in their role. Use their knowledge to help you and if you have any questions, I’m sure they would be happy to answer them or find an answer for you.

Your mentor is likely to be someone in your own team, so it’s a nice way of having a helping hand and getting to know everyone a little better. It’s all about being comfortable.

Try and lead with good communication

Make sure that you are a member of the team from the get-go. It’s very important to communicate throughout the day and ensure that you know what you’re doing and if there is anything you can be doing further to help. You probably want to go above and beyond to show your team your standard of work but that can be difficult, especially when you’re working remotely.

I’m not saying you should overload yourself with work to try and impress others, but to talk to your colleagues when they need help and understand what it is you can be doing to make the situation better for them. Do this and in return, they will hopefully do the same for you. It’s all about gaining trust and becoming a valued member of the team. This doesn’t come straight away, but your team will know when you’re there.

Attend daily meetings and be ready to listen

Attending the daily meetings or briefings everyday is important when you’re a new starter and especially when you’re starting the job remotely. You want to know what is going on and what is happening that day.

Sometimes when you start a new job, you have loads of ideas that you’re desperate to tell the rest of your team. This is great and you should share your ideas but be ready to sit and listen to everyone else! You don’t want to be that colleague that steals everyone else’s thunder.

Ask when you don’t know something

When starting a new job, it’s often assumed that you should already know what’s going on and that simply isn’t the case. You’re in a new company having new experiences. It’s normal not to know every little thing you need to be doing and it’s always best to ask questions if you feel the need too. Not asking questions and hiding the fact that you are struggling will make it hard on both you and your team. They are there to help you so use them as a resource!

Joining a new team is never easy right at the beginning but it’s a part of everyone’s job process. You won’t be the only one and chances are your teammates will remember when they were in your position and try to do every thing they can to make your first week or two at work as smooth as possible. You’ll always have your manager to fall back on as well, don’t forget they hired you for a reason and will be happy to help you settle in!