The premiere of Mindy Kaling’s latest comedy – Not Suitable for Work – follows a group of young adults entering the workforce and figuring out their lives. This topic is an endless well of content, and Kaling’s new show is in good company with Adults, Girls, Friends, and Broad City, to name a few. Unlike some of its above-mentioned television colleagues, Not Suitable for Work largely focuses on the professional lives of its characters.
The pilot, which dropped June 2nd alongside two more episodes shows the main characters – two women who live across the hall from three men – interviewing for jobs, exploring new professional opportunities, and starting their careers. Indeed, the main cast is made up of a majority of actors in what are sure to be their breakout roles. AJ (Ella Hunt) is a first-year financial analyst working alongside her lovestruck neighbor, Davis (Will Angus). Josh Teitelbaum (Jack Martin) – yes, that Teitelbaum – is the nepo baby son of a television network CEO working for the network’s biggest talk show. Abby (Avantika) works under a celebrity stylist. Her first assignment? Trying to get an actor to wear a heinous outfit. Kel (Nicholas Duvernay) drops out of medical school after fainting in the cadaver lab to pursue acting, a move that will surely disappoint his mother and doctor sister.
Not Suitable for Work is particularly fitting this time of year. College graduates who finished school in May are entering the workforce in droves (including my sister, who started the coolest job on June 1st). College and graduate students are in their intern seasons. Just like AJ, Davis, Josh, Abby, and Kel, freshly minted employees are figuring out how to perform brand new tasks and interact with brand new coworkers as we speak. The interns are hoping to perform well enough to get return offers. With any luck, nobody will call their new boss a “boomer dad in orthopedic sneakers” like AJ, or improvise a terrible rap at an audition with Questlove like Kel.
For those employers working with new hires or interns in the coming weeks, there are a few points to keep in mind to ensure everyone is successful as they acclimate:
- Before a new hire arrives, provide all necessary information in a welcome email. This should include what time to arrive, where to park, and what the dress code is, as well as any additional information that may be specific to your workplace. For example, if your office is only accessible by key card, let them know whom to contact to get into the office before they collect their card.
- First day onboarding should be structured and easily digestible. New hires absorb a lot of new information in a short amount of time. Best practice for the company is to present necessary information in the most accessible way possible and keep training role-specific so extraneous information does not confuse employees. Have a designated person or people available to answer onboarding questions as they come up.
- Ensure the new hire is introduced to coworkers and socially integrated into the office as soon as possible. Seasoned workers should be encouraged to take a few moments to chat with the newbies. Depending on office culture, employees may want to plan a social outing in the first week with new hires, or employers could host a welcome lunch in the office.
And if you are an intern or starting your first job after college, take a deep breath and trust that your education and experience has gotten you this far. Look for opportunities to learn and prove yourself. Ask questions, be curious, and accept constructive criticism. Maybe pay extra attention to your trainings so you don’t fail onboarding quizzes like Davis. And good luck!
Julianne Brown is an associate in the Hartford office of FordHarrison. She focuses exclusively on representing management in labor and employment law, guiding clients through negotiations, litigation, administrative proceedings, and everyday workplace legal issues while also offering practical HR support.