Joining a new workplace is quite exciting. Suddenly, the adult in you turns into a teenager and before you even know, you’re prepping the outfit you want to wear on your first day (even shopping for the same), setting an alarm but waking up earlier, clicking too many selfies to create a memory for the future. God, this jittery feeling is pure gold!
This palpable excitement is something that almost all of you must have experienced. But, some great folks once said–there’s more to this than meets the eye. Apart from the good stuff, there are also a lot of awkward things that you might experience at your new workplace. Sadly, people don’t prepare you for things that can make you confused, awkward, and uncomfortable at your new office.
So, right on cue, we are here to tell you about all the awkward things that might you experience at your new office. Read on to stay prepared!
12 Awkward Things That Can Happen To You At Your New Workplace
Don’t get us wrong folks, we ain’t trying to scare you here! We are just prepping you for all that can possibly go wrong in your new office because being prepared is much better than getting a shock.
Horrible Bosses Vol. 2
Even though Jennifer Aniston played one of the tough bosses in Horrible Bosses, we still loved to watch her. But, IRL, your boss ain’t no Jen Aniston and you definitely don’t want to be supervised by a difficult manager. All these bosses have a few things in common that you need to watch out for:
-Their idea of ‘perfection’ usually involves you working, re-working, and re-re-working on a project till they find it ‘doable’.
–Work-life balance, LOL what’s that?
-Last-minute deadlines? So what?!
-Working weekends? Almost every month
Lunch Break: When, How Long, Where?
Different offices follow different lunch break duration, which can frankly, get very confusing. What if you are working during break hours? How much is too much when it comes to extended lunch hours? These are some of the awkward questions that might come to your mind at your new office. Don’t worry, when that happens, just follow your colleagues’ footsteps.
Dear Colleague, Please Stop Talking!
We all have that one colleague in our team who just can’t stop talking! We love them, we really do, but, we will love them even more if they just keep it low sometimes. Their non-stop conversations can get so interesting that you might lose track of your deadline and before you even know, you end up working overtime.
What To Wear?!
OOTDs can become an issue for almost every working woman out there because honestly, when do we ever have enough clothes in our closet? However, this dilemma can take an awkward turn if you think that your fashion sense doesn’t go with the vibe at your new workplace. You might find your colleagues to be the ultimate fashionistas compared to your casual self. Or, you might feel you’re a little extra while your peers like to keep it simple.
Here’s the basic rule ladies–you do you! You will blend in perfectly as long as you wear confidence on your sleeve.
Hey…What’s Your Name Again?
On your first day at work, you are introduced to at least 50 people at once. All that is fine until you’re a week-old in the office and you still haven’t figured out your colleagues’ names. You either keep forgetting them or even worse, call them out with wrong names.
In our opinion, just ask! We’re sure your colleagues won’t mind introducing themselves personally and it’s way better than messing up with someone’s name in the first place.
There’s CC & There’s BCC, Know Thy Difference
It has happened to all of us at least once when we have sent the wrong screenshots to the wrong person–even worse–to the same person. But that’s a mistake we cannot afford to make at our new workplace. Always remember that there’s a difference between ‘CC (carbon copy)’, ‘BCC (blind carbon copy)’, ‘Reply’, and ‘Reply All’. And, you need to be sure what you are aiming for.
P.S. In the world of Zoom calls, the mute button is the BFF that you don’t ever want to forget about.
Just A Heads Up, We All Have HR Games
You really cannot do anything about this one but just go along with it. Every office has got some pretty fun (and sometimes awkward) activities conducted by their HR teams and it could range from random photoshoots to ramp walks. Our suggestion? Just go with the flow!
Sometimes, You Don’t Fit In
While being proactive, interactive, and socially active are some of the common requirements for anyone to gel in well with their colleagues, sometimes the harsh truth remains that you simply don’t fit in. You can try but your thought process and working methods might not be compatible with your peers.
And you know what guys? It’s okay! Don’t beat yourself up for feeling awkwardly out of place at your office and focus on your performance as at the end of the day, that’s all that matters.
When You Become The One Who Never Says ‘No’
As a newbie in the office, you might be an enthu-cutlet who wants to cover that extra mile and do that extra work. But remember to give yourself a break every now and then because otherwise, you might become the person who everyone comes to with their last-minute work. And honestly, it can get really awkward refusing the work out of the blue.
When KRA Is Not Equal To Job Description
This is the basic rule–ask questions during your interview! Grill your HR and know about your job profile and responsibilities in detail because otherwise, you might end up in a very awkward situation where your KRA will not match your job description. You may walk into that new workplace of yours as a writer but end up leaving the office as a customer care executive!
Your Boss Keeps Forgetting Your Name
So, we told you about the situation where you don’t remember your colleague’s name. But do you know what’s even more awkward than that? When your boss keeps forgetting your name! Imagine the embarrassment when you’re sitting in a conference room and your boss calls you with a name that’s not even yours. And now, imagine the horror of either answering to them or correcting them. *Awkward*
Applying For Leave As A Newbie
Taking a leave in case of emergency is completely understandable but we all have prayed that such an emergency does not arrive in the first few weeks of our new job.But in our opinion, if you absolutely need a leave, talk to your boss personally because sometimes they are way more understanding than we know!
Now that we have prepared you for all the possible awkward situations you might encounter at your new workplace, we hope you are all set to roll like a pro!
Featured Image: Unsplash
