With all the workplace think-pieces available online, it’s surprising there isn’t much advice for new bosses on day one of a job. Turning up to your first day at work can look quite different depending on the type of company or industry you’re in, but the following tips are transferable for bosses everywhere.
Arrive prepared
Failing to prepare, is preparing to fail. Don’t walk into the job blind – be sure to do your research. Although some business resources won’t be at your disposal until you become part of the company, you can still take advantage of the ones that are. Read your HR documents and company handbook, and give yourself a head start by learning about the company’s policies and people, on paper. Once you’re in the door, take stock of any existing employee performance reviews.
Ahead of day one, take some time to refine your elevator pitch — keep this short and sweet. Talk about your experience and who you are, as well as what you are excited to bring to the table as a boss. This will help set a positive initial impression and make the first connection with your team.
Listen, learn and observe
It’s one thing to understand how businesses work from the outside, and another to grasp the finer nuances – even as a boss! Learning on the job is what every new starter should do.
Learning the hierarchy is always a good place to start. Once you’ve got the pecking order worked out, it’s easier to know where you should delegate, and which department to go to when you need to find something out. Luckily for most businesses, there are now HR tools where you can quickly see everyone’s job title and position in the company.
Listen to your employees and don’t overlook the value in the small things. Without a tour of the office or the file management system, you won’t know where that important document or meeting room is.
Observe the office dynamics and workflow. Taking note of how meetings are run and the exchanges between different employees can help you to pick up on what works and in turn, what might need to be changed. It may be tempting to rock the boat straight away but remember that people are likely to respond better if you wait before introducing new ideas.
Building relationships with everyone
First impressions count, whether you’re shaking hands with your employees in the office or switching on your laptop camera from home. Be proactive and initiate conversations with your staff — you want them to feel comfortable coming to you for help.
Learn everybody’s name and make time for one-to-ones. In a large organisation, it can be much harder to do the who’s who of the office, but by scheduling individual meetings, you’ll get to know the team on a more personal level. This will help you provide a structure that works best for them and the company as a whole.
Start small and build up from here
Come in on your first day with some goals in mind. You can start small i.e., ‘achieve this within my first week’ and so on. When you meet with your team you can further expand on your goals. The earlier you start measuring your success, the easier it will be to gauge what is achievable in the company and as a boss.
Adopt an open mindset
By being open and coming in with fresh eyes, you’ll be able to see things without preconceived ideas. Use your first day as an opportunity to observe and make a mental note of those ideas you may want to integrate into future plans.
Keep growth in mind and be flexible about what that might look like. Again, this comes down to listening to company needs, as well as looking at the projections already in place for the short term. In short, success on the first day as a boss is arriving prepared with the willingness to learn, not to change things straight away.
