According to a latest survey, it is probable that three out of 10 newly hired employees quit within 90 days of their joining. This data shows that more often than not there is a mismatch in employees’ expectations and what their job offers them, especially in the first few weeks of joining. About 43% of the employees who quit within 90 days of joining, said that the reason of quitting was that their day-to-day nature of the job was not what they had in mind. This sort of a scenario is unpleasant for both the employer and the employee. It is a situation where the employer witnesses the entire recruiting and on-boarding process go to waste, and the employee feels disappointed with the whole experience of a new workplace and will need to start looking for other job opportunities.
Change is never easy, even if it was something that you are absolutely looking forward to it, the newness of it can be overwhelming. Even the most talented and highly skilled people are sometimes caught off-guard in the surroundings of a new work environment. It can be people, processes, company culture, overload of new information, or several other seemingly incomprehensible factors that can get overwhelming at the beginning of a new job. What you need to do is try and identify such factors with each new day and take them on with a solution-centric approach.
So here are a few ways that can help you rise above the challenges of a new workplace.
evaluate before the plunge
It is important to find out as much as you can about the company, its culture, and most importantly, your profile. You must do a primary as well as a secondary research about the organization before you choose to work for it. Discussing your profile and its requirements with the HR, clearing your doubts during the interview, speaking to a few current employees, if you get a chance, and a secondary research on the company’s work and culture can give you a good deal of an insight about your fit with the company. Remember, prevention is better than cure.
communicate
Sometimes, no amount of research can substitute your own experience. So, if what you get to experience in the first few weeks or months of your new job seems to be not in line with what you expected, then it is best to not delay the issue. It is okay to be patient and wait for somethings to settle on their own, but it is important to be able to identify things that will need some intervention. One of the most crucial things that you can use to your benefit is communication. Speaking up about your doubts or issues with your HR, reporting managers, or some of your team mates might seem difficult, but that is one thing that can help you change your situation. You need to ask as well as listen to find out if there is anything that you can take in your own hand and solve or will need others to help you with.
be open to taking help
Once you have taken the very first step of communicating your issues at your new workplace, you must move to the next stage of being open. It is okay to ask for help and also receive it without feeling incompetent. There could be procedures, tasks, jargons or any cultural practice that might come across as surprisingly new to you. Asking for help to get to understand those might make you expose your vulnerability, but it will also help you get to know your teammates better. It will also make them aware of your situation and there will be a chance of some sort of brainstorming on what can be improved about the given situation. It might seem a bit overbearing to ask for help and let people help you, but you need to be open for things to change for the better.
put your strength forward
Once you decide to be brave enough to speak up about your issues at the new job with the relevant team member(s), it is time that you prepare ahead of the discussion. Try not be vague about the issue. If the problem is work related, then it is best to prepare notes on the specific issue and where are you getting stuck. Put together where your strengths lie and where you think you can contribute better. See, if there is anything new for you to learn. It is always better to have some idea about the solution yourself, then to be absolutely blank. This preparation will make you come across as sincere and analytical in your approach. Last but not the least, give yourself and your new workplace some time to settle down. Initial hiccups may come but may not last for long. However, meditate well on the problem and analyze the scope of improvement. Give each try your best and evaluate if things are going your way after doing that. It is important to remember that change is uncomfortable, yet crucial for growth.
Sources:
https://www.fastcompany.com/40583243/this-is-why-new-hires-leave-within-the-first-90-days