Creating a sense of belonging in a new workplace is the theme of the latest installment of Management Minutes with Mika.
Government workforce expert Mika Cross sat down with friend and United States Digital Service Technology Workforce Strategist, Amy Bontrager, to discuss “The Value of Building Trust and Community for New Hires in Any Workplace.”
Bontrager has had her share of fresh starts and spoke from experience when she advised public servants to remember that onboarding doesn’t stop at orientation, and leaders need to be mindful of continuing to integrate new employees.
She also pointed out it’s essential for employees to be open-minded about finding where they can start to fit in and contribute to a team, because “we all play a part” in making a successful agency, and that “it’s OK to take on new challenges.”
This means remaining aware that you’re not putting yourself in a silo, which can be tricky in a hybrid work environment when you only typically speak with your direct coworkers daily. To avoid this, Bontrager suggested specifically devoting time to getting to know other departments, reaching out to meet peers who know the culture of your agency and who can share how all the organization’s pieces fit together.
Go more in-depth on this topic and get a few more tips on establishing sincere connections as a new employee by watching the interview now.