Starting a new job means learning more than just the work itself. Newcomers also navigate a workplace culture that often comes with unspoken rules and expectations.
According to Yifan Song, associate professor of management at Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School, political skill — the ability to understand social cues and effectively navigate a social environment — can shape how well a new employee adjusts to the workplace.
“When newcomers enter that new work environment, they focus a lot on the tasks themselves and don’t pay much attention to social relationships,” Song said. “Co-workers and supervisors play a critical role in integration because that’s where you learn the culture of the space. For example, a new employee might notice that some co-workers are task-oriented, or they have more small talk before getting into deals.”
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In a study published in the Academy of Management Journal, Song’s team surveyed around 1,000 newcomers in the manufacturing industry about their dynamics with supervisors and co-workers during their first month on the job. The researchers surveyed the employees once a month to track shifts in workplace relationships and how political skills influenced their adjustment over time.
The study found that newcomers with higher political skills have more social interactions with co-workers and supervisors. Months later, they also had a better understanding of their responsibilities and the social structure in their workplace.
Song said there are two types of social interactions in the workplace: “horizontal interactions” with co-workers and “vertical interactions” with supervisors. New employees with higher political skills were more likely to have more of both.
“For vertical interactions, it plays a very important role in the initial adjustment,” Song said. “If there are more vertical interactions with supervisors, the newcomer will adjust much better at the initial stage. Horizontal interactions play a more effective role over time. Work veterans are likely to have less formalized information but can provide information on unwritten rules or tips for things they’ve experienced in the past.”
An employee can integrate into a new work environment without conforming to the current workplace style, Song said.
“It’s more about creating your own way and tailoring it to different co-workers,” she said. “You get to know each person’s style, and you can customize each individual conversation you have with each person to match that style. Some people are more pro-social while others are not. Individual contribution matters quite a bit in day-to-day interactions.”
While an employee’s political skill can impact success at a new job, it works best when paired with a workplace that is welcoming to newcomers, Song said.
“Basically, insiders should be encouraged to help newcomers,” she said. “As co-workers and supervisors, they should always be open about sharing information with newcomers and helping with issues. In general, it’s up to the organization to take initiative and encourage this kind of culture, because some people are more pro-social than others.”
Song said employees can also improve their political skill over time through consistent efforts to socialize and build relationships.
“Polish your political skill so you learn when to ask questions or when to reach out with questions and to whom,” she said. “Find your allies, talk to your supervisors and co-workers and overall have an empathetic-first response. That way, when you’re the veteran and someone else becomes the newcomer, there is a collective better chance of success in the workforce.”
