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Are You the New Kid on the Block? Get to Know Your New Co-Workers With These Tips!

We’ve all been there. You’re starting a new job and trying to settle in and get to know other staff members. It can feel a little overwhelming and anxiety inducing. Follow these tips to break the ice with your new co-workers.

Prepare Your Introduction

As the saying goes, “First impressions are lasting impressions.” An awkward initial introduction creates a negative tone for future interactions. So it’s nice to have a basic game plan for how you’ll approach introductions with new co-workers.

Here are some ideas:

  • Research the company culture to determine the common philosophy, values and working style of employees
  • Prepare a few words to say about yourself and your background
  • Decide which specific points you’ll want to make (e.g. previous employers you’ve worked for or projects you’ve been part of)

While you don’t want it to sound overly rehearsed, this should help get the ball rolling.

Ask for a Walk-Through and Introductions

This will help you get your bearings so you’ll know where things are located, and it alerts new co-workers of your presence. That way introductions don’t feel so forced, and you can get a general feel for people’s personalities.

Be the First to Reach Out

After going through the initial introductions, you’ll want to be the one to take initiative and reach out to your co-workers. If you sit back and wait for others to come to you, it’s going to be more difficult to create connections and build relationships. So it’s critical you make the first move.

Be Positive and Engaging

Hardly anyone wants to be around a colleague who’s negative and lacks energy. Being positive and engaging should make you more engaging, and new co-workers will want to get to know you. Emotional Intelligence expert Travis Bradberry says, “Using an enthusiastic tone, uncrossing your arms, maintaining eye contact and leaning towards the speaker are all forms of positive body language, which can make all the difference.”

Everyone is the new kid on the block at some point and has to go through the process of getting to know co-workers. Using these strategies should make things go smoothly and lay the foundation for strong relationships.

Looking for a rewarding job in your area? See how Axiom Staffing Group can help.

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