What Not to Do When You’re a New Employee

Starting a new job is a hopefully happy and positive experience, especially if you’ve been struggling to find a position for a long time or if you’ve finally landed the role of your dreams. 

The last thing you want to do, then, is cause issues in your new job early on by making mistakes or causing problems that have your managers or colleagues doubting you or getting the wrong idea about you. Here are some key things not to do when you’re the new person in a firm.

Rant About Your Old Boss or Firm

Even if you had some bad experiences at your last place of employment, don’t go ranting and raving about your old firm or its management to your new colleagues or boss. This is a bad look because it gives the impression that you might speak negatively about anyone behind their back and that you have the potential to create or extend drama. 

You may not have many nice things to say about your previous employer but keep things vague and professional if you’re asked, and don’t fall into the trap of saying too much unfavorable stuff. 

Turn Down Lunch or Other Invites

When you join a new team, it’s nice to get to know your colleagues and managers so you can work together more effectively. As such, if invitations come up to join other employees or the whole team for lunches or other events, say yes wherever possible. 

While you’ll be working hard as a new member of the group to get your tasks done ASAP, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t stop here and there to take part in activities. This bonding time can be just as important as the actual projects you’re working on and will help you connect and learn much more about the company and its culture. 

Say No to Help

Don’t feel that you have to come across as proficient and experienced in everything you do in your new job in the first few months. Even if you have extensive knowledge and skills in your area of expertise, the reality is that processes, relationships, details, and more are different from company to company. 

Take your time getting your footing and be open to offers of assistance as they come in. Saying yes to help will allow you to get to know coworkers better and indicate that you’re a team player rather than a know-it-all. 

Assume Things Work the Same Way as at Your Old Workplace

As indicated above, another mistake many new employees make is assuming that everything works the same way in the new firm as it did in a previous workplace. This often can’t be farther from the truth. 

Don’t make a bad impression or rub colleagues or leaders up the wrong way by plunging ahead with tasks in a way that may not align with how things operate at your new place of employment. Take some time to sit back and observe methods and interactions and take your cues from that. This patience will help you avoid making a mess of jobs and creating more work for other people. 

Take Too Many Sick Days

While we can’t do much about when we get sick, the last thing you want when you start at a new organization is to have to take lots of days off work due to illness. As such, take care of yourself to minimize the chances of coming down with something. Even though you may be stressed and tired in the first few weeks as you learn new things in your role, continue to take the time you need to eat and sleep well, get some exercise, take multivitamins, meditate, stretch, and do whatever else helps you keep high immunity levels. 

If you do come down with a nasty bug early on and can’t attend work, you might like to consider getting an appointment with a doctor. Arrange for a detailed Plushcare doctor’s note or a document from another physician to present to your boss. Seeing this proof of illness will help stop people from thinking you’re unreliable and just faking sickness. When you’re brand new, people don’t know you or your work ethic, so don’t give them any reason to doubt you. 

Some other things not to do when you join a new firm include getting caught up in office gossip and negatively, sharing way too much personal information, not grooming or dressing professionally, and being too bawdy with your humor. 

Also, avoid arriving late, leaving early, or taking long lunches are no-nos, as is talking to people about trying to get a promotion or that you’re only working in the company until something better comes along. 

The first few weeks and months in a new role can be somewhat tenuous, so do yourself a favor and act with care to make the best possible impression.