My household has recently been adopted by a puppy. That’s right, my husband, son, and two dogs, have been joined by a puppy. This has gotten me to thinking about cultural norms and assimilation.

Over the past few weeks, the puppy has adapted to many of our families practices – learning to signal when he needs to go out to the dog run (and where it is located); and his “place” within the family structure. At the same time, we’ve had to adjust to his sleep patterns, his manner of play, and his personality.

When a new employee joins an organization a similar process is enacted. The employee spends a period of time working to understand the explicit and implicit norms. Explicit norms include the policies and procedures of the company. Implicit norms are those unspoken rules such as whether people eat meals at their desk, flexibility in conducting personal business at work, etc. Concurrently, the organization is reshaped through the integration of the new employee.

Each employee has the ability to impact this assimilation process. First, recall what it was like to be that new hire. What are those things you wish someone had told you? Take the time to explain processes and procedures as well as “the way we do things around here.” And, be prepared to pause in the question, “why?” that will inevitably follow. This new hire may just offer be an opportunity to fix a broken process or streamline a cumbersome practice.