Starting a new job always comes with a mix of excitement and trepidation, as you wonder what it’s going to be like. Working in multiple locations also comes with its own challenges. Here at =mc we’ve always worked in a hybrid model: some office time, some home time, some on-site time. And that model seems to be growing in popularity as a way of managing the various ebbing and flowing Covid-19 restrictions.
So we asked Rachel Whittle, L&D Consultant, what helped her get started in her role and what insight she has to share. Here are her top 5 tips:
Find a way to let people know where you’re going to be. Arrange office days to collaborate, and get to know your new colleagues. Ask others to keep their calendar up-to-date too so you know where they’re going to be. Plan ahead, identify who you will meet and what it is you can work on together. Then you can have a clear plan of what to work on where and when.
In the office, working with others is great. However, there are also benefits to working on your solo projects when you’re in the office too, as it gives you the opportunity to ask questions as they come up and have those incidental ‘water cooler’ moments it’s hard to replicate when everyone’s in different places.
When you are by yourself, typically when working at home, spend that time reflecting and consolidating what you’ve learnt so far. Starting a new job is a steep learning curve, so make sure you give yourself time to look back through what you’ve done and been shown. Identify questions and keep a running list. Congratulate yourself on things you have picked up.
You might not see your colleagues as regularly as if you were all based in the same place at the same time. Therefore you need to be deliberate in building trust and rapport. Be intentional with your conversations – ask people what they are working on, as well as how they are. And mean it. Plan to catch up with your colleagues, whether that’s at the start of a meeting, by sending them a quick email or arranging a coffee. Making time to build those relationships is as important as the tasks you’re working on.
Not just about the theory, but how things really work in practice. Ask about everything and anything. The joy of being new is that nobody will mind. Hybrid working practices will vary widely from place to place, so find out what happens at the nitty gritty level. Of course, you’ll be able to (and need to!) read the policies, but asking the team to share how they’re applied day to day is invaluable.
Managing your manager also needs to be proactive, as you won’t always be working together. Considering how you work best, what works for you when learning and the best way to give feedback can be really helpful topics for you to share with your manager. Keep these in mind, review how it’s going and adapt things as you go. With a new role, there’s an opportunity to affirm your assumptions or try something different and see if that works better for you!
Being new in any role takes a planned and considered approach. With hybrid working there just needs to be a bit more planning and a lot more considering. If you would you’d like to discuss how we can support you with your personal development, or supporting your hybrid working team contact us online or call 020 7978 1516 to speak to a consultant.
Rachel specialises in management development and personal effectiveness. Rachel has over 10 years’ experience in the charity sector. Before joining =mc, she specialised in direct marketing and was a...
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