6 Ways to Make Friends and Gain Influence in a New Office  

You’ve got your new ID badge. You’ve found your desk. You’ve put up some #girlboss motivational quotes. Now you have to make your mark in the office – but how do you navigate this new place without falling into social potholes? Here are six tips to get you settled into your new role.

1. Say your Name
This is especially key if you are backfill for an already-established position. With every new introduction, you will be “This is the new <insert name here.>” So make sure you reintroduce yourself with your name and title before people get used to calling you “the new <former employee term>” rather than your actual moniker.

The reason behind this is that when you start somewhere new, you get the benefit of a clean slate to put your stamp on your work. If you’re always associated with the old person, you’ll always have their ghost haunting your cubicle. And whether the former employee left on good terms or in a blaze of glory, you don’t want to be attached to those memories.

2. Be Seen
You’ve been on the requisite walkthrough on your first day, where you run through all the departments and have walk-by introductions.  This is great – but just don’t let that be the last time the finance team sees your face: wether you have an office, a cube or you’re in a flexible workspace, get away from your desk. Say hello to people as they pass by, and get to know them. Get a cup of coffee or sit in the breakroom at lunch. This is a great way to get to know your colleagues.

Plus as you get a little more comfortable, you never know what projects you might be pulled into or what opportunities might come your way – just because people remember who you are.

Tip: This is also good to do if you are in a new community or industry. Be seen at trade association meetings, community events and networking nights. This is a great way to get in the know, and make the connections necessary to make you stand out your new role.

3. Get the Lay of the Land
No one comes into a new office knowing what the gossip is or how the office politics works, so observe your new surroundings. Have lunch with employees, partners, stakeholders, and others that are invested.

In short, do a lot of listening and people-watching. While you don’t want to treat the office environment like an episode of Survivor, you want to make sure you align yourself with positive coworkers and those who are there for the team; the moment negativity seeps into the ranks, you are at risk at tainting your work and feeding into previous culture and habits.  So remain open and observant, in a sensible way, so that there is a change for you to stand out with your new team.

4.  Set Up Online Expectations
With smartphones as a permanent link to the office, it might be hard not to answer every email right when it comes in. And as a new person, it becomes especially hard when you might be trying to prove your worth and show how much you’re a team player, especially if you’re single or don’t have children.

The caveat to the above: if you’re quick to answer during after-hours, and your boss sees that you are sending emails at midnight, that will become your norm – and, consequently, you will be leaned on to keep up that kind of pace. So whether it’s replying to an email or answering your company’s tweets, whatever expectations you set up now will be what you be known for.

So be mindful that you are a better employee when you have “fresh eyes” to look at your office life every day; this may mean taking a break from email, or bringing work home – rather than standing in front of the hallway vending machine at 8 p.m., holding a file, and cursing the person who took the last Snickers.  This “demarcation” you set, transitioning from office to home life in a regular way, can instead give you some needed work-life balance.

5. Seek Out the Experts
Being new gives you a unique advantage for the first month or so: you can wear your “I’m new” hat to learn institutional history for projects, programs, or just how the organization works. This allows you to go have the in-depth conversation with the guy down the hall who runs the program almost no one understands. Or to find the executive assistant who secretly makes the whole organization run smoothly. And, by all means, find your IT go-to guru (really, this will make life so much easier!).

Building relationships with these folks will not only help you get better acquainted with your new gig, but will make your transition much smoother, while adding value to your knowledge base.

6. Find your Work Besties
You spend over 80% of your time surrounded by your coworkers. They end up knowing your habits, needs, wants, and goals more than some of your closest friends. Let those who step in as confidants, mentors, and allies be your support team; having these folks in place will allow you to do some of your best work. For instance, they will know when it’s time for that afternoon coffee break, or can listen when you have an idea that needs some fleshing out. They are your cheerleaders and in a new work environment, who doesn’t need someone on their side? So if there is someone you jibe with, take note. They could be a work bestie waiting to happen.

With these tips in mind, don’t forget the biggest one when starting a new job:  be yourself. You were hired for a reason. Your unique mix of skills, fit, talent, and drive made you the right candidate, and it’s why you accepted the position. So make sure you remind them every day that you were the right choice, and let these pointers guide you in your new interactions, with the idea of making your first few months as stress-free as possible.  It will automatically make for a better workplace environment!