The first months at a new job are often more exhausting than you expected. Everything is new: the people, the systems, the unwritten rules. It's easy to think it all comes down to working hard and showing what you can do.
A review covering 70 groups of new hires points to three other things. The people who settled in well knew what was expected of them, believed they could handle the work, and felt accepted by their coworkers. Those three, in turn, went hand in hand with being happy at work, performing well, and wanting to stay. And one thing that helped get them there was asking questions and seeking out information themselves.
Pick your approach based on what's missing:
- Ask more if you're guessing your way through.
- Clarify expectations if you don't know what counts as good work.
- Lunch with someone new every week if you haven't gotten to know your coworkers.
- Check in every four weeks if you want to go further.
A first step today: write down three things you don't understand at work, and ask someone about one of them tomorrow.
The first months at a new job are often more exhausting than you expected. Everything is new: the people, the systems, who decides what, and all the unwritten rules. It's easy to think it all comes down to working hard and showing what you can do. Research points to three other things that determine whether you settle into the job, and to one habit that helps with all three. This article explains what they are and gives you four approaches for your first weeks.
Three things that decide it
In 2007, Bauer and colleagues pulled together research on new hires from 70 different groups, including both young people going from school to work and adults changing jobs. The question was why some people settle into a new workplace well and others don't.
The answer came down to three things. Those who settled in well knew what was expected of them in their role. They believed they could handle the work. And they felt accepted by the people around them. Those three, in turn, were linked to being happy at work, performing better, feeling attached to the workplace, and wanting to stay, and to fewer people quitting.
- Knowing what's expected What counts as good work, and what you're responsible for.
- Believing you can do it Feeling that the work is manageable.
- Being accepted Having coworkers who count on you.
- Asking and finding out yourself The habit that helps with all three.
The review is based largely on surveys, so it shows associations more than cause and effect. But it does tell you where your energy pays off in those first months.
The person who asks settles in faster
The review found two things that helped new hires get there. One was how the workplace welcomed them, with onboarding, a mentor, and a clear plan. That part you can't control. The other was that they sought out information themselves: they asked questions, asked for feedback, and figured out how things worked. That part you can.
Many new hires hesitate to ask. It feels like admitting you don't know what you're doing, or like being a bother. But questions are exactly what give you clarity about your role, confidence in your own abilities, and connection with your coworkers. If you guess your way through so you won't seem unsure, you risk doing the wrong things for a long time.
Four approaches for your first weeks
Ask more. For you if you're guessing your way through. Collect your questions during the day and ask them at a good moment, or ask right away when you're stuck. Write down the answers so you don't have to ask again. First step: today, write down three things you don't understand, and ask about one of them tomorrow.
Clarify expectations. For you if you don't know what counts as good work. Ask your manager for a short conversation and ask: what's most important for me to get right in the first three months, how will I know it's going well, and who can I ask about what? First step: schedule the conversation today.
Lunch with someone new. For you if you haven't gotten to know your coworkers. Invite one coworker a week to lunch or coffee, ideally someone from a different team. Ask what they do and what they wish they'd known when they were new. How acquaintances become friends is covered in making new friends. First step: ask someone today to have lunch this week.
Check in every four weeks. For you if you want to go further, and it's the most demanding approach. Every four weeks during your first six months, write down what you've learned, what's still unclear, and what you'll ask about next. Bring it to your next conversation with your manager. First step: put a reminder in your calendar for four weeks from now.
If you're already wondering whether this job was the right choice, there's more on that in the guide to work and career. Give it time first: everything feeling hard in the first months is normal, not a sign you made the wrong choice.
When things don't click
Sometimes things still don't click, even after six months. If expectations are still unclear, tell your manager directly and ask for a clear answer. If you feel shut out, or you're being treated badly, take it up with your manager, the person responsible for workplace health and safety, or your union. And if you notice the job is taking so much out of you that your sleep and energy are suffering for several weeks, talk to a doctor. There's more on that in stress at work.
A first step today: write down three things you don't understand at work, and ask someone about one of them tomorrow.
This is the understanding and a first step. Atlas is where it becomes a habit. Under Work & career you'll find Today's three, where you write down the day's most important tasks each morning, and The shutdown, which closes out a long day. If you add Study & career as its own area, you'll also get One contact a week, where you note who you've reached out to. Try Atlas free for 7 days, and cancel whenever you like.