What to Say and Expect on Your First Day at Work (B1-B2)
Podcast Introduction
Hello, I’m Daryush, and welcome to the Business English Hub, the podcast that helps you speak clearly and confidently at work. This podcast is for professionals, students, and job-seekers who use English in meetings, presentations, interviews, and beyond. Listen regularly to build your vocabulary, improve fluency, and feel more comfortable using English in the workplace. I’m joined today by my co-host, Hana.
Hana: Hi everyone, great to be here!
Welcome to the podcast, Hana. By the way, we have a free transcript for this episode. If you want to read along or review later, just check the link in the description.
Episode Introduction
Welcome to this week’s episode! Today, we’re talking all about your first day at work, what to say, what to expect, and how to make a great first impression. We know the first day can be exciting, but let’s be honest, it can also feel a little nerve-wracking. That’s totally normal. Our goal in this episode is to help ease those nerves and build your confidence by walking you through a few realistic Day One scenarios. We’ll break it down step by step. By the end of this episode, you’ll have a set of useful phrases and practical tips to handle your first day like a pro.
Hana: Daryush, I still remember my first day at my new job. I was so anxious. I didn’t know what to say to my manager or how to act around my new colleagues.
That’s totally normal, Hana! We all get first-day jitters. Whether you’re starting as an intern or stepping into a management role, the first day can feel a bit overwhelming. But don’t worry, we’re here to help. In today’s episode, we’ll walk you through three common first-day situations: meeting your manager, meeting your colleagues, and getting a tour of the workplace. As you go through each one, we’ll share key English expressions and a few cultural etiquette tips to help you feel confident, not just in what you say, but in how you say it.
Hana: Hmm, sounds great! I really wish I’d had these tips back then.
Same here. Alright, let’s dive in to our first scenario.
Scenario 1: Meeting Your Manager
Let’s start with meeting your manager or supervisor on Day One. Picture this: You arrive at the office, possibly a bit nervous, and the first person you meet is likely your manager. This introduction usually happens first thing in the morning, and first impressions count.
Stand up straight, smile, make eye contact, and give a confident handshake. Use a polite greeting like, “Good morning! It’s nice to meet you.” And if they introduce themselves first, you might say, “Nice to meet you, Ms. Smith.” It’s a good idea to stick with their title and last name at first, at least until they invite you to use their first name. Often they’ll say something like, “Please, call me Jane,” since many workplaces are on a first-name basis.
Your manager might also welcome you with something friendly, like, “Welcome aboard! We’re excited to have you.” Be ready to show enthusiasm with a response like, “Thank you! I’m really excited to be here.” They may also make a bit of small talk, like ask if you found the office okay. Just answer briefly and feel free to ask a friendly question back. And finally, always remember to say “thank you” when they’re helping you get settled in.
Let’s listen to a quick dialogue to hear these tips in action. I’ll play the manager, and Hana will be the new employee.
Manager: Come on in. Hello, you must be Hana!
New Employee: Yes, hi, that’s me.
Manager: Great to meet you, Hana. I’m Daryush Harcourt, the team lead for marketing.
New Employee: It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Harcourt.
Manager: Please, call me Daryush, we’re not too formal here. Welcome aboard! We’re excited to have you on the team.
New Employee: Thank you, Daryush. I’m really excited to be here and eager to get started.
Manager: Fantastic. How was the HR orientation this morning?
New Employee: It went well, thanks. Everyone was very helpful.
Manager: Good to hear. Do you have any questions before we go meet the rest of the team?
New Employee: Hmm, I don’t have any questions yet, thanks for asking.
Manager: Alright. Feel free to ask anytime. Okay, let’s go down to the conference room. I’ll introduce you to everyone.
In this dialogue, Hana greeted her new boss politely by saying “Nice to meet you, Mr. Harcourt,” and I replied “Call me Daryush” to show that first names are okay. I also said “Welcome aboard,” which is a warm welcome to a new employee, and let her know she could ask questions anytime. These phrases made our first interaction friendly and professional.
Scenario 2: Meeting Your Colleagues
Next, let’s talk about meeting your new colleagues. After you’ve met your manager, you’ll likely be introduced to the rest of the team. This might happen all at once in a group setting or as you’re guided around the office to meet people individually. Often your manager or someone from HR will walk you around and introduce you to everyone. You’ll hear a lot of names, of course. It’s normal if you don’t remember them all. If you forget someone’s name later, it’s completely okay to ask again politely.
When you meet each person, greet them with a smile. For example, you could say, “Hi” and then introduce yourself briefly. For example, you could say, “Hi, I’m Marco, the new marketing assistant. It’s great to meet you.” You’ll probably say “Nice to meet you,” “pleasure to meet you,” “delighted to meet you” a lot, and that’s expected!
Some coworkers may chat briefly and ask a question, like where you’re from or how your morning is going. Keep your answers short and positive, and you can ask a friendly question back to them as well. If someone just says “Welcome to the team,” simply smile and reply, “Thank you! I’m happy to be here.” The main idea is to show that you’re friendly and enthusiastic.
Now Let’s hear another short dialogue. I’ll be one of the colleagues, and Hana will be the new employee.
Colleague A: Hey team, I’d like you to meet our new project coordinator, Hana.
New Employee: Hi everyone! Nice to meet you all. I’m excited to work with you.
Colleague B: Hi Hana, I’m Alex from Sales. Welcome aboard!
New Employee: Thank you, Alex. It’s great to meet you.
Colleague C: And I’m Maria, the office administrator. Let me know if you need anything, okay?
New Employee: Thanks, Maria. I really appreciate that. I’ll be sure to ask if I need help.
Colleague A: By the way, a few of us usually grab lunch around 12:30. You’re absolutely welcome to join us today.
New Employee: That sounds great, thank you! I’d love to join.
In this scene, Hana greeted the group with a friendly “Nice to meet you all.” And when Alex and Maria welcomed her and offered help, she thanked them and showed appreciation. And when Alex invited her to lunch, she accepted enthusiastically by saying “That sounds great.” Being open to offers of help or invitations, like joining coworkers for lunch, is a wonderful way to start building rapport with your new team.
Scenario 3: Getting a Tour of the Workplace
Finally, our third scenario is the office tour. Typically, someone will show you around on your first day and point out important places, like your desk, the meeting rooms, the break room or kitchen, the restrooms, and so on. It’s a lot of information at once, so don’t worry if you can’t remember everything.
Just listen and feel free to ask questions as you go. For example, if they don’t mention the coffee machine, you might ask, “Is there a coffee machine around here by any chance?” Or if you’re curious about lunch arrangements, you could ask, “Where do people usually have lunch?”
The person giving the tour might also mention office etiquette or policies, like saying, “We have a clean-desk policy.” Pay attention to these tips, they’ll help you fit in. And remember, if you forget something later, it’s absolutely fine to ask again. Everyone knows it’s your first day, so people will understand if you need a reminder.
Now let’s listen to a brief tour dialogue to hear how this might sound. I’ll be the colleague showing the new employee around.
Colleague: Hi Hana, let me show you around the office. This area on the right is our Customer Service department. Over here is the kitchen. You can grab coffee or tea in the morning or during breaks.
New Employee: Oh, great. Good to know.
Colleague: This is the main conference room. We have team meetings here every Monday.
New Employee: Got it.
Colleague: Down this hall are the restrooms, and at the end on the left is Human Resources. You mentioned you have some paperwork, is that right? You can drop off your HR forms at that office later with our HR manager, Nadine.
New Employee: Perfect, I’ll do that.
Colleague: And over here is our IT help desk. If you have any computer issues or need login help, you can ask them. They’re very helpful.
New Employee: Thanks!
Colleague: And finally, here’s your desk right by the window. We’ve left a welcome packet for you with some info about the company.
New Employee: Thank you so much.
Colleague: You’re welcome. Alright, that’s the tour for now. Do you have any questions about what we’ve seen?
New Employee: Not at the moment, thanks. Uh, that was a lot, but I’ll find my way around.
Colleague: No worries. If you get lost, just ask anyone. We’ve all been new here.
New Employee: Will do. And thanks again for showing me around!
Colleague: Anytime, and welcome to the team!
In the tour dialogue, the colleague began with “Let me show you around,” a common way to start showing a new employee the office. He pointed out key locations by saying “This is …,” for example, this is the conference room.” He also said “drop off your HR forms,” meaning Hana should deliver her forms to HR later. Hana acknowledged each point with responses like “Oh, great,” “oh, got it,” and she thanked him at the end. The colleague also reminded her, “If you get lost, just ask,” which is a friendly reassurance. Overall, the tour covers a lot of details, so remember you’re not expected to absorb everything at once.
Final Tips
Before we wrap up, here are a few final tips and encouragements for your first day:
Be yourself, and take it one step at a time. You were employed for a reason, so be confident, friendly, and genuine. You don’t have to learn everything or meet everyone on the very first day. It will happen naturally over time. If you’re ever unsure about something, don’t hesitate to ask questions. It’s much better to ask than to guess.
Observe the company culture. Pay attention to how people interact and what the norms are in your new workplace. If you’re not sure about something, like how casual to dress or how to address someone, watch how others do it or politely ask a coworker for guidance. Showing that you want to fit in will be appreciated by your colleagues.
Stay positive, even if there are small hiccups or setbacks. You might make a minor mistake or forget someone’s name, that’s absolutely okay and totally normal. If something goes wrong, do your best to fix it or simply laugh it off and move on. What matters most is your attitude. A positive, resilient attitude will leave a much stronger impression than any small error.
Hana: We hope these scenarios and tips help you feel more prepared for your first day. I know if I’d had this advice before my first day, I would have felt much more at ease.
Absolutely. The first day can be challenging, but a little preparation goes a long way. Remember, you can always come back to this episode or read the transcript to review these expressions. Practicing them out loud a few times can make a big difference in your confidence.
But before we say goodbye, we’d like to hear from you! Well, I understand that not all of you are going to start work immediately. Some of you are experienced workers.
What was your first day at work like?
How did you feel when you walked into the office for the first time?
What was the orientation or onboarding process like?
Who did you meet, and how did those first conversations go?
Share your story with us in the comments. We’re really curious to know what that experience was like for you, what surprised you, what went well. We read every comment and love hearing your experiences!
And this brings us to the end of this episode. Thank you for joining us for Episode 2 of Business English Hub. If you found it helpful, please subscribe so you won’t miss future episodes. Until next time, keep practicing, stay confident, and good luck on your first day at your new job!
Talk to you soon!
Click here to download the full transcript in PDF format.
