(Work) culture shock

One of my oldest friends and I caught up over the holiday weekend over beers and, both of us being in that “career driven” phase of our lives, we inevitably found ourselves talking shop.

He told me about his new gig at a company where everyone actually likes each other. Like, really. They do karaoke nights, they invite each other to family dinners. I wasn’t aware such workplaces existed, but he says it’s their MO.

Despite that, he’s felt “off.” Not about the place, but about himself. This was wild to me because he’s always been the super-social type, but now he’d been struggling to connect with his colleagues. He said he believes he has a sort of PTSD from his previous job, where he’s just waiting for the other shoe to drop.

As someone who has been in that same position, a few tips I told him that I think are worth sharing are:

• In a new job, set expectations and boundaries, and make sure your boss knows them.

• When something good happens, pat yourself on the back! Celebrate small wins where you can.

• When you’re ready, feel free to open up to others on your team. They’ll be happy to embrace you for being you.

Remember to let yourself heal and grow. Okay, friend?