21 Apr Making a Positive First Impression as a New Remote Employee
Are you starting a new job role in the middle of the pandemic? If the company works remotely, your onboarding process will be very different from your past experiences. Rather than office tours and team luncheons, you’re remaining in your home while familiarizing yourself with your new company values and operations. So how can you settle into your new workforce and establish a positive first impression to earn your colleagues’ and employer’s trust as a new hire?
While you may have successfully established this in your job interview, you need to walk the talk now that you’ve been offered the job role. However, in a remote workforce, you can no longer buy coffee, bring in treats, exchange smiles, or small talk when passing coworker desks, so you must adapt to new digital, modern ways to establish your positive first impressions.
Test the Tech
One easy way to start your new job role on the right foot is familiarizing yourself with the digital processes that you’ll be using regularly. Take time to test file-sharing platforms, communication channels, virtual meeting conferencing sources, etc., so you can have an idea of how they work. This will make it easier for your coworkers or employer to train you. You’ll at least have questions prepared for helping you navigate the platforms, or you’ll be prepared to learn about them. This also shows that you’re willing to commit extra time to your new workplace.
Introduce Yourself
You may not be able to meet your team in person, but you can still offer an introduction to break the ice with your coworkers. If they use a digital communications channel, send a positive message sharing who you are and that you’re looking forward to working with them. This simple action shows your enthusiasm and positive attitude, which will establish an easy positive impression.
Communicate
When beginning a new job, you may feel hesitant to ask too many questions or raise concerns out of fear that you may seem incompetent. This could lead to some trouble as you may make more errors or cause a delay in operations. If you were in the same office as your employer, you might knock on their door with your questions. While you can’t do this in person, you can still reach out to your leader for insights. Send them an email or set up meetings for further guidance. They’ll appreciate that you want to perform your tasks properly.
Follow a Reliable Schedule
With remote work, your workday scheduling may seem more flexible. While this offers some advantages, you will still want to commit to a regular schedule so your employer and coworkers can reach you within reasonable work hours. Schedule your days around usual office hours when the rest of your team is working for more accessible communication and overall efficiency.
It’s important to set a positive first impression when beginning a new job role, even from your remote work setting. While it may feel easier to detach yourself since you won’t meet your coworkers in person, establishing solid relationships with your coworkers is essential for your job satisfaction, a sense of support, and overall success. As you settle into your new workforce, you’ll reap many benefits from making efforts to build connections as your coworkers will guide you and help you thrive.
