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So you got a new job… cool… but now you are more lost than a sneaker in a fridge right? You know no one, everything is confusing, you feel like everyone is your boss and the pieces don’t fit. The list can go on forever. Don’t worry. Perfectly normal.

Every time we move to a new environment or change jobs we experience a moment of logical disorientation and a feeling of unfamiliarity. When we are confronted with something new and/or unknown our defensive systems go to DEFCON 1 to prepare for the unexpected and to get assimilated to our new environment as rapidly as possible to regain our lost psychological homeostasis (equilibrium).

Culture shock refers to the anxiety and feelings (of surprise, disorientation, uncertainty, confusion, etc.) felt when people have to operate within a different and unknown cultural or social environment such as a foreign country. It grows out of the difficulties in assimilating the new culture, causing difficulty in knowing what is appropriate and what is not. This is often combined with a dislike for or even disgust (moral or aesthetical) with certain aspects of the new or different culture.

Thank you Wikipedia.

Culture shock is a concept that can also be identified in several areas of our lives, such us transitioning jobs or moving overseas to start one. Getting adapted takes time, even if you are as flexible as rubber. Doing what worked on your last job (if similar) will not necessary work now and some ways of doing business may not be regarded as appropriate.

If you are coming from the other side of the world, the good news is that you won´t necessarily be on your own on this one. Your employer should have done its homework detecting the needs that this new hire might encounter and areas of possible cultural conflict. There need to be a protocol in every company that imports human capital.

Companies have the social responsibility to assess: areas where people struggle,  what is the individual used to, understand the culture of origin and last but maybe most importantly, understanding its own organizational culture. Not the written one but the one that is actually operating and which is not always visible, specially to upper management.

I have never been in a company where its “advertised” culture was 100% the operating one. In some cases the difference was abysmal. There´s always wishful thinking in management positions, and even more in HR, who are the folks that most of the time are in charge of maintaining and developing culture. It´s like parents and siblings, your perception is tricked by your mind (desires, expectations, goals). That’s why a company should have the capability of making insight, have clear and two-way communication with its lower links and be aware of its strengths and limitations.

When you are playing Away, there are some things you might want to do in order to avoid getting smacked in the chin by culture shock.

• Observe first, and take your time. I think this is a must in every job, wether you are coming aboard from overseas or from the office next door. You’ll feel the urge to make an impression as soon as possible and bring up your innovative and revolutionary ideas. But trust me, you don’t want to make it by getting on your superiors’ nerves by displaying your mojo on your first week. Be humble and respectful by Laying back and observing the way business is done, the shared conduct codes, who’s who. Sometimes you may even realize that a great idea you had has already been tried. My personal experience is that every time I started a new job, a rainstorm of ideas would come to me, but after a few weeks I would realize that there was always some variable missing in my equation that made that idea inviable or in need of tweaking.

• Postpone big decisions and consult with your superiors instead until you “know where you are”. One thing about making decisions is that you’ll never satisfy everyone, get over it as soon as you can and life will be easier. During your first weeks, having an established member of the team backing you up will protect you from gaining early enemies.

• Discuss with your boss possible cultural obstacles and set adaptation period goals. This will keep you both on the same page and will also shield you from allegations of weirdness.

• This is a big one and I can’t stress it enough. Get to know as many people as possible regardless of hierarchy. What you want is information and get connected so you start building up a reputation ASAP and get the pulse of your working environment. This will keep you on the loop and make you knowledgeable of the formal and informal structure of your company/office. Added bonus, most connections will sooner or later turn invaluable.