If you’ve ever started a new HR job, you know how important it is to make the first days count. While this is easier said than done, there are some tips, tricks, and strategies you can use to make the most of your first few weeks and months on the job.
Phil Strazzulla, founder and CEO of Select Software Reviews, recently sat down with Keri Ohlrich, PhD and CEO of Abbracci Group, and Elles Skony, fractional CHRO and founder of Organized Chaos Consulting, to discuss their own insights, personal experiences, and tips.
Watch the full event recording here.
Optimize Your Onboarding Experience
“The key is to really listen and learn. Being new is this amazing opportunity to ask the questions of: What are your business goals? What’s the culture like here? If you had a magic wand and you could change something tomorrow, what would you change?” – Keri Ohlrich
The first few days of your onboarding experience can be a difficult time – especially if you’re new to the field. Not only will you be learning about your new co-workers during this time, but you’ll also start learning about the day-to-day workflow. Approximately 81% of new hires actually feel overwhelmed by the amount of information they receive during the typical onboarding process.
If you are feeling confused or overwhelmed, don’t hesitate to ask questions. Your leaders and colleagues expect you to ask questions and to clarify any concerns during the onboarding process, so make sure to take advantage of the opportunity.
“Especially when you’re new, there are no dumb questions.” – Phil Strazzulla
Apart from listening and learning, make sure you’re fulfilling your initial expectations during the onboarding process. This includes:
- Arriving at the office (or at your computer, if you’re working remotely) at the scheduled time
- Being prepared for the day ahead
- Attending any meetings that may be scheduled during this period
- Completing all of the necessary paperwork in a timely manner
Remember – you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Put your best foot forward in order to start optimizing the onboarding process from the very first day.
Transitioning from Academic Life
Those who have recently graduated and are transitioning into the workforce for the first time face even more obstacles. Nearly 31% of graduates feel pressure to start a successful career – and this pressure can be tremendous.
The first issue faced by many new graduates comes in determining their exact career path. As Elles points out, however, your academic major doesn’t really matter too much. The field of HR is open to those with backgrounds in business, psychology, engineering, and more. It’s really about managing people, facilitating changes, and maintaining compliance with all the applicable rules and regulations.
“As long as you like solving difficult challenges that have to do with people's emotions and change, then you’ll find it pretty easy to get into the flow of HR because that’s always what you’re doing.” – Elles Skony
Navigating the New Culture
It can also be difficult to navigate to the culture of your new employer. Whether you’re a recent graduate or an established professional in the field of HR, it can be challenging to adjust to different schedules, new workflows, and an unfamiliar workplace culture. Again, it’s important to ask questions and clarify any uncertainties you may have.
“How do you work here? How does it manifest itself? Yes, we talk about integrity, but what does that actually look like?” – Keri Ohlrich
Questions like these help clarify expectations while giving you greater insight into the company culture as a whole. You can also use any bottlenecks or pain points as your inspiration to affect change. Some other relevant questions to ask your co-workers include:
- If you had a magic wand and could change one thing about the workplace, what would it be?
- What is your favorite part of working here? What is your least favorite part?
- How does the company acknowledge individual success?
- Does the company contribute to any programs or causes in the local community?
- What specific team-building exercises do we use here?
- Is this a collaborative environment?
- What are the biggest challenges faced by the company?
Add Value to the Team
Rely on your education (and any professional experience you may have) to start adding value within your first 90 days on the job.
“Most people know why you’re here. What they actually care about is how you’re going to partner with them.” – Keri Ohlrich
There are a variety of ways to achieve this, including:
- Incorporating feedback and suggestions
- Solving common problems in the workplace
- Learning more about the industry as a whole
“The true joy is that we are creating better workplaces for people.” – Elles Skony
Improve the Workplace Ecosystem
Your new co-workers are bound to take note if you find a new platform that helps reduce costs, optimize resources, or streamline operations, so don’t be afraid to take the initiative here and review the company’s HR tech stack.
“There are a lot of new vendors out there and I think it’s a really interesting time to evaluate tools and systems when you get into a new role.” – Phil Strazzulla
Looking Ahead to the Next 90 Days and Beyond
“Finding a way to articulate to the business what you’re doing, why you’re doing it, and how you’re moving it forward.” – Elles Skony
Don’t be afraid to outline any plans or goals you have in mind and, if possible, try to highlight what you hope to achieve in the coming days, weeks, and months.
However, you must also step away from the workplace at the end of the day and make some time for yourself. While it might be tempting to throw yourself into a new job that pays well, overdoing it will only result in stress, burnout, and fatigue.
“If you only focus on HR and that’s it, and you don’t get an outside perspective, that’s not as helpful.” – Keri Ohlrich
According to SHRM, 44% of HR professionals already feel burned out in the workplace. Moreover, 51% report feeling “used up” once the typical workday is over. To protect your mental health, follow a healthy diet, get regular exercise, take time off when you need it, and maintain an optimistic attitude.
“You’ve got to take time out to just step away. Otherwise, you’re going to be waking up at 4:30 in the morning dreading stuff.” – Phil Strazzulla
Bottom Line
You never get a second chance to make a first impression – including the first weeks transitioning into a new HR job.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions, but, more importantly, make sure to listen and respond to the answers. Not only will this paint you as a team player, but it shows that you are willing to learn the skills that are necessary for long-term success.
