The scary, delicate but necessary art of onboarding
What you need to know:
- Find out what support you can get in case you have to make tough calls, or when you need to change or correct company perceptions.
- You also need to understand the new systems and structures and any anticipated realignments.
- By doing this, you will understand better the situation you are in, and what contributions you can make to help realign and turn around the workplace in your own small or big way!
It is that time of the year when companies dole out new contracts for their existing staff, and hire new ones. Starting a new job can be a little scary. There is so much to learn, from getting to know new co-workers to learning the new work systems. All this can be overwhelming.
Needless to say, settling fast in a new environment will require that you listen keenly and ask relevant questions to everyone in your team and colleagues across departments.
You can also read past documentation about your role to be better prepared at your job.
You may also need to hold a conversation with the line manager to understand the roles better. Below are conversations you can have with your boss as you embark on your new job.
Assess and understand your portfolio
Talk with your boss about how you will get the needed resources. Set clear and measurable goals, and seek guidance on the strategies you can adopt to help you stay focused.
Also, find out what support you can get in case you have to make tough calls, or when you need to change or correct company perceptions. You also need to understand the new systems and structures and any anticipated realignments.
By doing this, you will understand better the situation you are in, and what contributions you can make to help realign and turn around the workplace in your own small or big way!
Expectations
You need to find out from your manager what they expect of you within a given period, say 30 days or every quarter. You need to understand how they measure success and when they expect to see results. This will provide you with a clear roadmap on your targets. An extra professional tip is, under promise and over deliver on expectations.
Communication styles
You need to understand your manager’s communication preference. What times of the day do they expect to be contacted, and what decisions do they want to be involved in? Do they prefer emails, quick phone calls or a walk into their office?
Also, how often do they want to meet during the day or week and how structured do they want the conversations to be? This knowledge will help you stay on the same page as your boss, and have healthier relationships.
A good communication strategy will also help establish a pathway through which your boss will ask relevant questions, issue constructive feedback and also offer coaching for your own personal development.
