Profession Comm. 7

Unit VII

Lesson 3: On the Job

Introduction

Your verbal and nonverbal communication habits are very important in the workplace. The

image we present on the first day at work will always be remembered by supervisors and

coworkers.

Most of us are first noticed by our nonverbal communication. People will note how we dress,

how we walk, whether we smile, and whether we seem interested in the people and things around

us. They will also notice our verbal communication—our choice of words, whether we have a

different accent from theirs and how we pronounce certain words.

Knowing that all of these details about who we are will not go unnoticed, it is important to be

prepared to project what we want to project about ourselves in the workplace.

First Day at Work

Arrive on time on your first day of employment. Arrive at the worksite at least 15 minutes early,

and then wait until closer to the time you were asked to arrive before going into the office. If you

are unfamiliar with the area, you should actually go there one or two times the week before so

that you get an idea of how long it will take to find a parking spot.

Appearance: Dress appropriately. If you are unsure, inquire about the dress code when you are

offered the job. Do not make an assumption about what you see on the day you interview. If the

employees are all dressed casually, perhaps they are having a special, casual dress day. Also,

some organizations ask employees to wear formal dress while others allow employees to dress

casually. Always look relaxed while following the organization’s dress code.

Body language: Practice how you will introduce yourself to others on your first day. A brief 15-

30 second explanation of who you are will be sufficient. Smile and, if culturally appropriate,

shake hands as you introduce yourself. Many people forget or simply are not aware of how

important body language is to the total communication package. When a person is speaking and

the body language contradicts that which is being said, audiences will overwhelmingly accept the

message of the body language regardless how much it conflicts with what the speaker is saying.

Listening: Listen to all that is going on in the office. You can learn a lot about your coworkers

through observation. Take the time to observe the office politics and try to team up with at least

one person on the first day. As “newbies,” we are bombarded with information, introduced to a

new culture, and as we adapt, listening is our most critical skill. In the business world, after years

of experience and service, we gradually reach a point where we do the talking while others listen.

There is a very good reason why those who describe good leaders virtually always list a common

trait among good leaders as being a good listener. As the famous old adage goes, “everyone

hears, but few listen.” An employee who is an adept listener is more than likely going to be a

leader in the future.

Turn off your cell phone, or place it on silent during working hours; that way, you can hear what

is going on around you. Do not be diverted by phone conversations which might send a message

that you are aloof, withdrawn, or even antisocial.

Human resources forms: Your supervisor will assign you to a workspace and will then either

take you to the human resources department to complete required forms or give you the forms to

complete at your desk. This is a good time for you to ask the supervisor any questions that will

help you as you move into the new job. The nonverbal message that you send to the supervisor is

that you are very interested in the job. You also demonstrate your willingness to learn. As you

complete the forms, ask questions about anything that is not clear to you before you sign. Once

you affix your signature to the documents, they constitute a legal contract between you and the

employer.

Social media: If you maintain an online resume, upon being hired, immediately update your

resume on LinkedIn, Facebook, or other social media where you have a presence. Once you

accept a position, consider taking down your resume for a variety of reasons. First, you do not

want inquiries or job offers arriving if you are in a position that you intend to remain with.

Perhaps more importantly, you do not want to tell a potential employer that you are not looking

for a position even though your resume is still posted and active. However, in places like

LinkedIn in particular, where resumes remain part of the personal data, it will be understood by

companies—your own as well as those seeking new employees—that the posted resume is not an

active solicitation in this case but part of your history for colleagues across the industry.

First Week at Work

Throughout the first week, you must settle into your new job. You should plan to arrive on time

every day. When deciding what to wear, recall what the interviewers said about the dress when

you asked them at the interview, and combine that with how everyone was dressed on your first

day at the office.

You will meet more of your coworkers and employees from other departments throughout the

week. Talk to everyone, whether you are in the elevator, in the office, in the breakroom, or even

in the bathroom. You should show interest in everyone’s jobs and how they intersect with your

job. Try to remember everyone’s name and what each person does. First impressions are very

important, and people will want to work with you when you call them by the right name in that

first week.

Continue to ask questions so that you understand not only your job but also office politics. Be

sure to introduce yourself to people who make decisions in the company. When those people are

looking for solutions, they may turn to you for advice later on. Listen to all the advice they may

offer you. Being a good listener may help you become very successful in your job. However,

keep in mind that everyone has a job to do and may not have time to answer your questions

immediately.

Attend meetings so that you can get a more in-depth understanding of the organization. Meetings

are a good opportunity for you to talk about your area of expertise and to let others know that

you are willing to discuss issues as they arise.

Understanding Your Job

In addition to knowing who works in the organization, you must understand your job and your

role in helping the organization meet its goals.

Read your job description and any additional information you were given on your first day at

work. The job description should set out the tasks you have to perform and describe ways that

you can carry out those tasks. For example, if you are employed as a food service director, one of

your tasks might be to develop high standards of food preparation. Your job description will

provide more detail to help you perform that task, such as analyzing menus to ensure that

nutritional requirements are met.

You have to determine which tasks are the most important, and consider how you will work on

them. You also have to consider suggestions you can make to your supervisor for changing how

some of the tasks are done, such as the following:

 If your job is administrative or technical, you may be tasked with creating presentations. You can suggest using infographics to create the presentations.

 If your job is advisory and you are primarily responsible for meeting with customers/clients, and those meetings always take place in an office, you could make

suggestions on other venues where those interactions might be more effective.

 If your job is policy or decision-making, you could recommend new methods of coordinating and delivering projects using social media.

 If your job is teaching or training, you can review the current procedures and make suggestions on how you can make the training more interactive.

If you are part of a team, you should also take some time to reflect on how you will fit in. Learn

about the processes the team uses to resolve problems or create initiatives. Find out the

relationships that currently exist in the team. Review your relationship with team leadership, or if

you are the new team leader, decide how you will interact with team members. You can reflect

on ways to improve the team.

As you learn more about your job, take notes so that you do not have to ask the same question

again. Sometimes you will have to listen carefully to what is being said; then, write your notes

later. At other times, take notes right away, and ask questions to ensure you fully understand the

instructions being passed on by your supervisor or coworker.

It is important that you understand your role in the organization and how your product/service

affects productivity. If your organization schedules performance reviews annually, you can ask

your supervisor to review your work every two weeks or monthly, especially in your first three

months of employment.

During these evaluation periods, you can ensure you are following instructions or determine

whether you need some training. You can also discuss the support or lack of support from

coworkers. Doing so will help you to improve on your weaknesses before the annual review is

prepared.

Effective Nonverbal Communication

As you meet more people, show your friendliness with a smile. When possible, offer to help

others around you. Demonstrate that you are approachable and open to communication with your

coworkers. Your attitude toward others will result in positive or negative attitudes toward you by

employees and other stakeholders in the organization. You will soon become part of the team

when coworkers realize that they can count on you.

Check for Understanding

(Answer Key is found after Review.)

1. On the first day you show up for a new job, you should arrive exactly on time. a) True b) False

2. If on the first day you find that you are overdressed, on the second day, adjust to be consistent with your peers in the workplace, even if that means you dress down from your

first impression.

a) True b) False

3. Which of the following would you want to avoid during your first week at a new job? a) Talking to as many people as you can in every circumstance during the day b) Holding any questions you might have until fellow employees know you better

4. Without any specific rules in place, which of the two would be the best logical approach to your cell phone in the workplace?

a) Keep it on silent, face up on your desk, but answer only the most important calls. b) Keep cell phones and other communication devices turned off and out of sight during

working hours.

5. What is the best course of behavior if you are assigned to work with a group in your new workplace?

a) As the new person, be silent, absorb what is going on, and try to fit in and learn the culture.

b) As the new person, talk to everyone, explore the dynamics of the group, find your expected place and what others see as your role in the group, and learn the culture.

Review

1. When you communicate with others, they will note your choice of words, whether you have an accent that is different from theirs, and how you pronounce certain words.

2. During your first week at work, it will be noted if you arrive on time every day. 3. When you work in a team, you should find out the relationships that currently exist in the

team.

4. As you adjust to your new work environment, you should understand your role in the organization and how your product/service affects productivity.

Answer Key

1. False - Even though being exactly on time sounds very good, being early is by far the better option so that you can be prepared for any eventuality and perhaps even have some

communication time with your peers and demonstrate your willingness to work and

openness to communication at the same time. Of course, never be late.

2. True - The premise is absolutely correct, and whether you dress up or down, you want to be consistent with your peers, or you might send a message that, in one case, you are a

snob or, in the other, you are a slob. Always be consistent with the norm in your

workplace.

3. B - In fact, you want to ask as many questions as you need to ask while acclimating to a new environment and personnel. Find out, keep finding out, and a question to someone is

even a good introduction and shows your willingness to learn at the same time. Also, you

do want to talk to as many people as you can to show that you are friendly and a good

communicator.

4. B - Unless you want your tenure to be very brief at your new place of employment, keep the phone out of sight and turned off. And while you do that, keep off of Facebook at

your workstation. Perhaps, you can check your phone privately at lunch somewhere, not

in front of other workers.

5. B - Early on, you have to demonstrate not only communication ability but willingness even more so. While you do not want to be the person who tries to take over a group, find

your niche, and endeavor to make your contribution and let others know that you are a

worker and ready and willing to do your part.