Workplace Alignment and Tips
How many times have you started a job/internship and people ask “how it’s going?” If not, I encourage you to think about it now. I’m here to share about my current workplace, how it changed my perspectives, and what it taught me so far - personally and professionally. My goal is to have you perform a mental self-check to see not only the valuable lessons you may be receiving from your work, or vise versa, but also taking a moment to see your growth since you’ve started. During developmental times, it’s important for you to see your growth.
Alignment and Company Values
I work at a place called Public Thread, a company that’s pushing to change textile waste and create interesting products from upcycled material that would normally be thrown in landfills. One of the most important things I’ve learned thus far is to make sure that you agree with your companies values and what they support. This goes for social justice, payment practices, company culture, and structure. If you find yourself struggling with this, think of a few ways you can make an individual impact and see what gains traction.
Communication
If you’re like me and are terrified of having someone angry or snappy with you, stay tuned. If there is an incident at work where someone is acting noticeably different do this:
Talk to them (as hard as it may be, just do it).
Ask them if anything you did upset them.
If you have, apologize sincerely. If not, carry on.
If they continue and you’ve taken the right steps, understand that it may not be you.
Give them grace and understand they may have something personal going on.
Stay respectful and pleasant.
Diversity in the Workplace
If you can, work for an organization with people who differ from you in many aspects, both fundamentally and ethnically. If you’ve done work with an established company, try it with a startup. If you’ve done the agency style, try corporate. I work at a start-up company with women from all over the world. I’ve been able to learn so much about them and their different life perspectives and experiences, political views, upbringing, and social ideas. I encourage you to try your best to get to know your coworkers and build relationships - you never know what you’ll learn. The best way to get a different perspective is to hear it from someone else.
Dive Head First
Lastly, dive headfirst. I say this because I'd like you to try new things. Here is what you should do:
Offer to assist anyone if you have time on your hands.
If invited to a meeting, go!
If someone asks you to do something and you don’t know how to, Google it and figure it out.
After reading, my hope is that you’re thinking about your daily practices at work. See where you can improve, where you’re doing well, and how you can better your personal experience and performance.
Good luck.
About Ella:
Ella Rechner is a third-year student at Grand Valley State University, studying Advertising and Public Relations with a minor in writing. She proudly serves on the GV PRSSA Executive Board for her second year and plans to continue her involvement with PRSA after her graduation in December 2020. Her favorite experience in the past year was competing in the National Student Advertising Competition (NSAC) finishing in fourth place at the National level. In her free time, you can find her drawing, painting, and watching the latest documentary on Netflix.