How to Adapt to a New Workplace Environment

Linda Raynier, a career strategist, speaker and coach talks about her 5 best tips to adapt to a new workplace or business environment.

When you land on a new job, there are natural tendencies to go with the flow, do as you’re told and not rock the boat too much until the probation period ends. But there are ways to join in with a super adaptive ability and also be your best self everyday at work giving your best and starting off with your most efficient self so that you can set yourself for success in your new job or company.

Linda starts with her first tip which is “observe the lay of the land.” Notice how things are done and how things work and keep that in mind. If the company tends to be individualistic then mostly the people there appreciate independence more which would mean decisions are taken independently and work is done with very less guidance or supervision. On the other hand if you find a lot of team effort and collaboration going on then the company likes to be collaborative and also share ideas and guide one another.

Being friendly, shaking hands and introducing yourself when you meet people or try to know more about the people you work with can go a long way for you. Don’t be afraid to make small talk when you meet your colleges, ask them how they are what do they do and keep it light and friendly.

Linda also talks about the importance of learning the processes, systems and the business well when trying to adapt to a new workplace. The earlier you learn this, the better you get at your job and the fewer hiccups will occur. Take notes and ask critical questions, play around with the software to better understand how it works. Do not hesitate to ask questions for it will accelerate your leaning and also help you to understand the basics of your job and its requirements.

At the same time, asking the right questions at the right time are important, asking basic questions or something really trivial can send out a negative impression about you. If you ask smart questions, not only will you learn more but you will also project yourself as curious and smart.

Linda’s final tip to adapt to a new workplace is to identify low-hanging fruit opportunities for improvement. Once you have gotten yourself familiarized with the team and the company, you can look for various small improvements that can make the systems better faster and smoother. Linda concluded by saying that everyone can have an amazing start and easily adapt to a new workplace with these helpful tips.