Being the new guy (or gal) at the office is always difficult, not least of all because any criticism coming from you may make experienced colleagues defensive. This is even more challenging if you’re the youngest member of the team. Older co-workers may be tempted to ask, Who is this kid to criticize how we do things?
Much of this hostility to newcomers has nothing to do with you, the office newbie, says PsyBlog author and University College London researcher Jeremy Dean in a recent post. To explain, he cites research by psychologist Matthew J. Hornsey and colleagues that asked 187 professionals to evaluate criticism of their organization, telling half that the comments came from a newcomer and half that the evaluation came from an old-timer who had worked there for years. The results showed the professionals “thought newcomers provided less constructive criticism, agreed less with newcomers’ suggestions and were more negative about their criticisms” — even though the criticism offered to all was identical.
So what’s to be done if you’re the office newbie and bursting with ideas? Dean suggests that despite the temptation to cannonball right into the deep end of the pool, you may want to tread with caution at least at first:
The temptation when joining a new group is to try and make a big splash, to impress others with our critical perceptions and new ideas. On the contrary, what the present research suggests is that toeing the line in the first instance is often the best long-term strategy. Groups are hostile to criticism from newcomers and are likely to resist, dismiss or ignore it—unless you can prove your loyalty.
Of course you don’t want to be a complete wallflower. Go ahead and learn the lay of the land. Keep your eyes open for suggestions and ideas you can contribute later on, but keeping your criticisms to yourself initially may be the best long-term strategy. Which raises the question: How do you know when it’s the right time to wade into the office fray?
Readers, what’s your experience?
