While you may be thrilled to take this next step in your career, transitioning into a new position is likely to come with a few obstacles. It's important to keep your chin up and endure the change with a positive attitude. Showcasing your enthusiasm will likely draw in your co-workers and make initial interactions a bit smoother.

Stay positive

Returning to work might initially be a challenge in terms of finding your footing with your new tasks. Actively attempting to build and manage a routine will allow you to increase your efficiency and effectiveness, as well as create a sense of normality.

Find your routine

Fitting in at a new job often means observing the overall culture of the company and adapting. Openly embrace the culture of your new company by making the office norms your new habits.

Immerse yourself in company culture

Take both physical and mental notes on what goes on around you.  While you're immersing yourself in the culture of the company, also familiarize yourself with some of the other norms. How does your boss react to certain things? What are the problems you can provide solutions to? Take a "fly on the wall" mentality while you're settling in to see how the company functions.

Take notes

Ask yourself what you must accomplish in your first three months, what you want to accomplish in the future, and how you plan to continually improve your efficiency. These are just a few questions to set you off in the right direction.

Set goals

Step out of your comfort zone and attempt to interact with everyone you work with. Introduce yourself and always accept happy hour invitations. These are the individuals who are likely to be your networking connections for years to come.

Build relationships

While you might still be nailing down your own duties, it's also important to extend a hand when possible. If you know a co-worker could use your help tying up a few loose ends on a project, offer your services. This will provide you with a chance to work with someone new, as well as showcase your willingness and ability to work on a team.

Increase your participation

After observing daily operations for a while, reach out to someone you admire within the company. Shoot them an email or stop by their office and share your interest in learning about — and from — their experiences.

Seek out mentorship

Congratulations, you accept a new position! Now it's time to make your move and settle in at your new job. Finding your groove after landing a new position can be challenging. You've been granted a new and exciting opportunity to showcase your skills and experience, generate beneficial solutions, and navigate a new company.

8 Tips for a Smooth Transition into a New Job

Chances are you’re being hired to fill a void and address current challenges that have been highlighted to you. 
Do not make the mistake of coming to the table with a pre-determined plan based on these challenges. Take the time to learn the challenges and the extent of them for yourself. Encourage your team to be completely open with you.

Avoid coming in with a pre-conceived plan

Before you can formulate the correct course of action, you’ll need to learn all aspects of the business quickly. Sit in on as many calls and meetings as you can, and don’t be shy about doing so. Make sure that the team understands that you’re doing it for learning purposes only, so your actions aren’t misconstrued as micromanaging.

Become a sponge

Give yourself time to notice patterns, and ensure that the changes you make address real problems and not one-off happenings. Making too many changes too quickly, especially when it comes to making cuts, may scare the strong players away and lead your team to be guarded with you. Ensure that key stakeholders who brought you onboard are aware of your approach.

Notice patterns first

Your relationship with the displaced leader, if they are going to continue on the team, is critical to your transition as the new leader. It is important you give them the respect they need and deserve and that you have a good working relationship with him or her.

Treat existing team members respectfully

If you’re too focused on uncovering room for improvement, you may not see what’s working for the team and the strengths of the talent you have. Learn about their hopes and aspirations for their career path and vision for the company. You may be able to leverage their expertise if the company heads in a different direction.

Take note of strengths

Once you are ready to bring about informed changes, do not be too worried about being perceived as the bad guy.It is important that you share your motivations for the changes and the positive impact you expect the changes to have on the team, the business, and other stakeholders.

Do not be afraid to be unpopular

Plus, Three Bonus Tips from the Team's Perspective Stepping in as the leader of an existing team should be approached with sensitivity and patience, especially when you are new to the company and the team. Two years ago, I went through this very experience when I was hired by Lab42's Board [...]

How to Successfully Join And Lead A New Team

<ul>
<li>It usually develops after you and another person have spent some time interacting and assessing each other’s character.</li>
<li>Three of the most readable indicators of trust: Competence, Benevolence and Integrity.</li>
<li>If all goes well and that trust builds, you start to feel psychologically safe and can form a stable belief about one another.</li>
<li>Remote work has made all of this even more difficult to do.</li>
</ul>

Trust isn’t easy to build

Many of us are interacting through our screens and working on hybrid teams with people located in various areas of the world who we’re not likely to meet face-to-face anytime soon. We lack the luxury of regularly observing our peers in-person, making it harder to gauge their intentions, values, and characters (and vice versa).
This is a problem. Without it, you may not feel comfortable bringing your full self to work.

Building trust in a remote setup

Competence is your ability to do something efficiently and successfully. When others perceive you as competent, they believe that you have the skills and knowledge to do what you say you will. 
This allows them to perceive you as dependable, reliable, and predictable — all of which are essential drivers of trust.

Building trust: Competence

Benevolence is the quality of being well-meaning and the degree to which you have others interests at heart. 
Other will grow to trust you based on the extent to which they believe you care about their interests, and have the motivation to go beyond your self-needs to cater to the team’s needs.

Building trust: Benevolence

Integrity is how you adhere to strong moral principles and how honest you are. Integrity is hard to judge and critical for trust building. 
A lot of behaviors at work are seen as instrumental and strategic, leaving people ambiguous about whether actions are coming from underlying values or merely a façade. Thus, the more opportunities you have to articulate your values explicitly and to allow team members to see your values in action, the more likely they will have faith in you and invest their trust in you.

Building trust: Integrity

It comes down to three qualities: competence, benevolence, and integrity.

New to the Team? Here’s How to Build Trust

Psychologists have long identified the desire to feel connected to others as a basic human need, and interpersonal relationships have a significant impact on our mental health, health behaviour, physical health, and mortality risk.
Our physiological systems are highly responsive to positive social interactions. Close relationships are linked to health as they build certain biological systems that may protect against the adverse effects of stress. In response to social contact, the brain releases oxytocin, a powerful hormone linked to trustworthiness.

The Science Behind Positive Relationships at Work

Positive social interactions at work directly affect the body’s physiological processes. Positive social interactions serve to bolster physiological resourcefulness by fortifying the cardiovascular, immune, and neuroendocrine systems through immediate and enduring decreases in cardiovascular reactivity, strengthened immune responses, and healthier hormonal patterns.

Our Psychological Health

Social interactions play an essential role in wellbeing, which, in turn, has a positive impact on employee engagement. 
Organizations with higher levels of employee engagement indicated lower business costs, improved performance outcomes, lower staff turnover and absenteeism, and fewer safety incidents

Employee Engagement

Social interaction can lead to knowledge and productivity spillover from trained to untrained workers in collaborative team settings or between senior and junior workers, particularly in low-skilled tasks and occupations. 
For instance, one research team found that productivity was improved when employees were assigned to work alongside faster, more knowledgeable coworkers.

Knowledge Sharing

Employees who are satisfied with the overall quality of their workplace relationships are likely to be more attached to the organization. 
Leaders who encourage informal interactions, such as after-hours social gatherings, can foster the development of more positive relationships and significantly influence and improve employee satisfaction

More Attachment To The Organization

A lack of social interaction in the workplace can have potentially negative consequences in relation to social support. Several studies have indicated that the sense of isolation that comes from this lack of social support is associated with a host of negative health consequences, including a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, compromised immunity, increased risk of depression, and shortened lifespan.

Lack Of Social Interaction at the Workplace

Strong within-group ties with coworkers (characterized by frequent social interactions) provide opportunities to facilitate innovative thinking. The strong ties developed by social interactions assist innovators in the search for inspiration, sponsorship, and support within the workplace.

Strong Bonds

Social interactions in the workplace help to ensure everyone in a group is on the same page. Peer relationships (also referred to as equivalent-status relationships) represent the most common type of employee interaction.These relations exist between coworkers with no formal authority over one another and act as an important source of informational and emotional support for employees. Coworkers who possess knowledge about and an understanding of their specific workplace experience are given opportunities to feel connected and included through the sharing of information.

Peer Relations: All In The Same Boat

Social interactions in the workplace have been found to increase self-reported positive feelings at the end of the workday.Repeated positive social interactions cultivate greater shared experiences and the gradual development of more trusting relationships.

Building Trust

The information collated through social interaction can help a team collectively improve its performance and the precision of its estimates.

Collating Information

Social interaction and positive relationships are important for various attitudinal, wellbeing, and performance-related outcomes. 
Employees in both low- and high-status positions reported higher levels of motivation when interpersonal relationships with coworkers were good.

Better Outcomes

At their very best, interactions can be a source of enrichment and vitality that helps and encourages individuals, groups, and organizations as a whole to thrive and flourish.Conversely, negative workplace interactions have the potential to be a source of psychological distress, depletion, and dysfunction.

Importance Of Positive Interactions

Positive interactions in the workplace have been shown to improve job satisfaction and positively influence staff turnover, as employees who experience support from colleagues are more likely to remain in an organization long term.

The Big Picture

According to the Society for Human Resource Management’s 2016 Employee Job Satisfaction and Employee Report, relationships with colleagues were the number one contributor to employee engagement, with 77% of respondents listing workplace connections as a priority.It is therefore crucial that leaders and managers determine ways to promote positive workplace relationships.

How to Foster Employee Interaction in the Workplace

With the advent of digital communication, we’re now only ever a few clicks away from contact with virtually anyone anywhere in the world. 
While the internet has facilitated communication on a scale hereto unrivaled, there’s a lot to be said for traditional face-to-face interaction. An email might be easier, but we lose the nuances of nonverbal cues and tone.

Promote Face-To-Face Interaction

The upward trend in telecommuting is expected to continue over the coming years, with more employees working from home (or otherwise remotely), posing fresh challenges for the relationship-centric organization.
Where in-person interaction isn’t feasible, face-to-face interaction can still be facilitated using social technology. Using video-conferencing software regularly can help to foster positive social relationships for remote workers.

Include Remote Workers

Dedicating time to specifically promoting positive social interactions in the workplace can be a powerful route to ensuring the relationship-centric approach doesn’t fall by the wayside amidst organizational pressure to achieve.
Set aside time for employees to interact; focus on interests and experiences out of work to direct attention to shared interests to allow for employees to discover commonalities and relatedness.

Plan Collaborative Events

Both employees and employers require meaningful relationships with others in the workplace, and yet these needs may be impeded by counterproductive and destructive workplace practices (Bolden & Gosling, 2006).
Organizational leaders should attempt to minimize negative interactions between employees by proactively mediating and resolving differences and building a culture of open communication that fosters trust and relationship building.

Effectively Mediate Conflict

By establishing consistent patterns of behavior that exemplify the desired culture, you can promote an emotional environment of inclusivity and positivity.Positive psychology founding father Martin Seligman’s (2011) PERMA model highlights five critical elements for mental wellbeing, which business leaders can adopt to promote a positive culture that encourages belonging.The five elements of the PERMA model are:<ul><li>Positive emotion</li><li>Engagement</li><li>Positive relationships</li><li>Meaning</li><li>Achievement/accomplishment</li></ul>

The PERMA Model: Leading By Example

We look at the science behind positive relationships at work, the importance of positive interactions, and their role in workplace wellbeing.

The Importance of Positive Relationships in the Workplace

No matter who you are, where you work, or what your professional goals are, achieving more influence in the workplace is critical for success.But gaining that influence, like learning a skill, takes time and effort.

Influence is power

Influence is most often and most easily carried through trust: only when a co-worker trusts you will he or she be open to your influence.The easiest way to do that is to be honest, no matter what. State your opinions, disclose your apprehensions, and don't keep secrets.

Build Trust 

Inconsistency is the fastest way to ruin your reputation. Consistency, on the other hand, is slow but sure: if you execute your tasks effectively and on time, day after day, eventually people will come to rely on you.

Reliability Through Consistency

There's a difference between being assertive and being aggressive. You'll need to present your thoughts and ideas with a high degree of confidence, indicating your convictions, but any excessive degree of confidence could be mistaken for needless arrogance, which will compromise your perceived authority.

Be Assertive

Being too stringent or adamant in your beliefs will work against you.Work actively to show your flexibility while holding firm on your beliefs. Negotiations and compromises are often the best ways to do this.

Be Flexible

The key here is to seem imperfect, approachable, and human.Have personal exchanges with your employees and co-workers. You don't need to build friendships, but there's no reason why you can't get to know each other. Personal working relationships are important for cultivating a sense of team, and if people see you as another person on the team, they'll be more receptive when you disclose your ideas or opinions.

Be Personal

Trying to build influence through words is useless. If you're going to build influence in the workplace, you need to speak through your actions, or at the very least have the actions and history to back up whatever it is you're saying.

Focus on Action

Listen to everyone's opinion, and encourage people to speak up, especially if they don't often voice their opinions. Take time to respect and acknowledge everybody's opinion, and let people know that you value them.

Listen to Others

Influence is power. No matter who you are, where you work, or what your professional goals are, achieving more influence in the workplace is critical for success. Gaining influence on a team can help you work together more effectively. Gaining influence in a supervisory position can make you more respected and appreciated.

7 Ways to Build Influence in the Workplace

A new joinee has to showcase the skills he possesses and at the same time, build the foundation of a good relationship with the new coworkers.
Establishing trust is important to ensure success in one’s new job role.

Building Trust While Starting A New Job

Trust makes us feel psychologically safe at the workplace. One can focus on creative, collaborative work where there is a free flow of ideas and everyone is benefiting from each other’s energy. One can freely ask for support, test new ideas, and be oneself without any fear of judgement.
Trustworthy colleagues result in a positive, safe and comfortable work environment that translates into better work. There is less stress, faster decision making and more innovation.

Trust Matters At The Workplace

One can take cues from how coworkers trust each other by their body language, the way they interact on Slack, or how relaxed and casual they are around each other. 
If help is sought after, and clarifications are prompt, even during virtual (Zoom calls) environments, one can gauge the level of trust in the workplace.

Evaluating Existing Team Trust

A strong foundation of trust needs to be laid as early as possible. Create a ‘shield of goodwill’ to minimize any miscommunication. 
Building trust will ensure that even if there is ambiguity, the words and actions are coming with good intentions.

Building Trust Early

Trustworthiness is a combination of competence and warmth. Great leaders are loved and respected, but also feared at the same time. 
One has to strike the right balance between love and fear to appear authentic, vulnerable and credible. To start things off, be compassionate and warm.

Trust Equation: Warmth And Strength

<ol>
<li>Talk about one’s upbringing, hardships and personal history, while keeping it work-appropriate. Getting to know people on a personal level builds trust and connections, as they see a human being and not just a new employee.</li>
<li>Ask for help whenever possible. It shows vulnerability and boosts good feelings among team members. They like being perceived as competent while demonstrating that you are okay with admitting that you don’t know something.</li>
<li>Ask for feedback and take your teammates' opinion whenever possible. You can ask a person having expertise, even if there is no direct work involvement.</li>
</ol>

Building Trust With New Team Members: Being Human

Communication is the magic key for building trust. Body language, expressions, tone are all important.
<ol>
<li>Speak in a calm, soothing voice.</li>
<li>Make sure that the atmosphere is cheerful and smile whenever possible.</li>
<li>Do not smile with raised eyebrows, as it looks as if there is anxiety.</li>
<li>Do not fidget with your fingers and stand straight.</li>
</ol>

Building Trust With New Team Members: Body Language

Virtual teams and WFH policies have complicated and muddled the communication that happens in a physical office. We need to provide remote team members with the benefit of the doubt while interpreting their behaviour. There is much less context to access what is meant by their words and actions.
The least we can do is watch our tone, and be as polite and generous in the initial months as possible. It always pays to be warm, friendly and human.

Trust In The Virtual Workspace

<ol>
<li>Trust can be built by showcasing your competence and skills.</li>
<li>Trust yourself, shaking out any imposter syndrome and do not doubt your competence.</li>
<li>Be transparent and honest, not hiding the information that makes you appear bad.</li>
<li>Be a person your teammates can count on, by showing your reliability and keeping your word.</li>
<li>Accept your mistakes and do not attack or blame a coworker.</li>
<li>Treat coworkers equally and do not show bias.</li>
<li>Treat people with fairness, integrity and try not to be the gossipy, two-faced coworker that no one likes.</li>
<li>Have good intentions and be the person you would trust.</li>
</ol>

Maintaining Trust In The Long Run

With these tips you can build trust with your new team, establish strong workplace relationships, and show coworkers your strength, competence, and skills.

How To Build And Maintain Trust When You Start A New Job

Organizations today are increasingly collaborative across interdependent teams. But collaboration can have two sides: It can lead to improved outcomes and intrinsic motivation, or it can significantly slow down decision-making and result in ongoing engagement that takes up most employees' time.
First discussing specific questions with your new colleague will enable you to work together more effectively and ensure a positive working relationship.

Collaboration can be a double-edged sword

Ask: What are our goals and process for this project?
Articulate each person's definition of success and vision of the path ahead. The goal is to ensure that both move in the same direction and don't work at cross purposes.

Defining the objectives and the roadmap of a collaboration

Ask: Who will do what, and by when?
Knowing who is responsible for what will help balance the workload, avoid duplicate work, and preempt territorial behaviour. Establishing accountability for progress on various deliverables can create greater clarity and increase the likelihood that goals will be met.

Collaboration: Clarify responsibilities up-front

Ask: What are our individual preferred working styles and strengths?
Not understanding the differences in style can cause irritation or conflict. Understanding each other's strengths can help determine the division of labour.

Individual working styles and strengths within a collaboration

Ask: When and how will we give each other feedback on our working relationship?
Establishing a process for feedback can build the relationship.

Giving feedback in a collaboration

Ask: What do we need from each other to do our best work?
It is important to discuss this question if you have never met before. Understanding how you can support each other to do your best work is only possible is you are clear about your needs. If you feel like you tolerate something from your colleague, it is often an unspoken request you have yet to make.

Support and collaboration

Five questions to ask when you’re working with someone for the first time.

Collaborating with Someone You Don’t Really Know

How to Collaborate, Build trust and other tips to create a smooth transition in your new endeavour

Bite-sized knowledge
to upgrade
your career

🌱
Joining A New Team

8 Tips for a Smooth Transition into a New Job

How to Successfully Join And Lead A New Team

New to the Team? Here’s How to Build Trust

The Importance of Positive Relationships in the Workplace

7 Ways to Build Influence in the Workplace

How To Build And Maintain Trust When You Start A New Job

Collaborating with Someone You Don’t Really Know

Bite-sized knowledgeto upgradeyour career

🌱Joining A New Team

8 Tips for a Smooth Transition into a New Job

How to Successfully Join And Lead A New Team

New to the Team? Here’s How to Build Trust

The Importance of Positive Relationships in the Workplace

7 Ways to Build Influence in the Workplace

How To Build And Maintain Trust When You Start A New Job

Collaborating with Someone You Don’t Really Know

Bite-sized knowledge
to upgrade
your career

🌱
Joining A New Team