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What ideas do y'all have for newly hired employees to bond with their co-workers. I bring this up of course because I am newly hired (as an IT help desk specialist) and know that the first two weeks is a critical stage that you need to bond because after that your co-workers will brand you as "social" or "not social". "cool" or "not cool".
I'm not that great at socializing, especially bonding since the best I can do is talk about weather, traffic, my previous jobs, some cool stuff about what we do, e.t.c. I'm not so sure if that is doing the magic as half of my co-workers talk to me, and the other half do not. I want to be sure that I'm doing the due diligence to participate socially you know.
I would suggest that you focus on doing your job the best you can, and maybe just discuss pleasantries when you are given a help task for someone while you are doing it.
During the first few weeks management will also be watching you to see if you are a hard worker and meeting goals or if you need to be watched because you visit too much.
When you do interact ask basic things that a new employees may ask, do you eat in our out, where do you eat out, what areas would you suggest that I might find a XXX home for my family of XXX and see if they offer back information about their family, if so follow up and ask how they are later in the week, etc.
Set out a bowl of M&Ms or fun size candy bars. When people stop by, introduce yourself. It's the office mouse trap, but works every time.
Find out if they go to lunch as a group, play softball, etc. and be a joiner. You don't have to do it forever, just long enough to make some connections.
I would suggest that you focus on doing your job the best you can, and maybe just discuss pleasantries when you are given a help task for someone while you are doing it.
Disagree with this. Unless you like being a loner at work that "doesn't work well with others"
Quote:
Originally Posted by yellowbelle
Set out a bowl of M&Ms or fun size candy bars. When people stop by, introduce yourself. It's the office mouse trap, but works every time.
Find out if they go to lunch as a group, play softball, etc. and be a joiner. You don't have to do it forever, just long enough to make some connections.
Agree with this.
Also, as you walk by coworker's desks, look at their personal affects. Do they have kids you could ask about? A trophy of some sort? What did they win? It's fascinating what people around you are really like.
and know that the first two weeks is a critical stage that you need to bond because after that your co-workers will brand you as "social" or "not social". "cool" or "not cool".
Congratulations on the job.
The statement I quoted is ridiculously untrue. Most people (and all normal people) aren’t going to brand you as cool or uncool or anything like that. This isn’t middle school. I mean do you brand people after whatever two weeks?
Personally, I know that the new guy/gal needs some space for the first couple weeks. They are just learning their way around and I certainly don’t expect them to be comfortable. And I also don’t expect that it will be the same person after a couple months pass. The first few weeks, most everyone is on their best behavior. They are mellow and calm and more reserved than they will be after they get more comfortable and get to know everyone.
Right now, just relax. Be friendly, feel your way around.
Having trained a bunch of new hires over the past year or so...
I don't bond with new hires. I don't look for any relationship at all with new people other than trainer/trainee
Show me that you are interested in the job and in doing it well. Work hard. Become a good team mate. And make an effort to improve in your knowledge and performance of the job every day. If after your training is over you start to show some competency and do your share of the work. Then I might consider taking an interest in you as a person.
Take it slow as far as interacting with the other employees; be friendly but not familiar. Just give it time, you're the new kid on the block and any time a new employee tries too hard to be friendly it usually doesn't come off very well.
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