There’s nothing quite like the arrival of a bright-eyed, ambitious newcomer to send shivers down the spines of long-standing employees. They walk in, fresh ideas in tow, exuding a dangerous level of enthusiasm that threatens to upset the sacred order of things. And let’s be honest—nobody likes to be outshone, especially by someone who doesn’t yet know where the coffee machine is.
If you’ve ever felt the cold stab of workplace insecurity, you’re not alone. When the threat of being shown up looms, some employees react in ways that range from the subtly passive-aggressive to the downright Machiavellian.
Information is power, and what better way to protect your position than by keeping key knowledge under lock and key? Need access to an important file? Oops, it’s ‘inaccessible.’ Trying to understand the company’s internal systems? Sorry, that’s ‘complicated.’ By making processes appear far more intricate than they are, the old guard ensures that the newcomer remains in a perpetual state of confusion.
Nothing quells a newcomer’s momentum like a good old-fashioned paperwork avalanche. Want to introduce a new idea? That’ll require filling out three forms, getting approval from six different departments, and undergoing a mandatory 90-day review process. Enthusiasm meets bureaucracy, and bureaucracy always wins.
This is the art of planting seeds of doubt under the guise of helpfulness. A well-timed “That’s interesting, but we’ve always done it this way” or “That sounds great, though I’m not sure it aligns with company culture” can sap the energy right out of even the most eager recruit. The trick is to smile warmly while doing it, ensuring plausible deniability.
When a newcomer starts showing promise, suddenly, the expectations for their performance skyrocket. Every minor mistake becomes a ‘learning opportunity,’ every success is dismissed as ‘beginner’s luck,’ and any misstep is dissected with forensic scrutiny. Meanwhile, the long-timers continue to cruise on the ‘experience’ card.
If there’s one thing that can sap the spirit of a high performer, it’s an endless loop of meetings. Introduce unnecessary check-ins, drag out discussions, and schedule ‘collaborative sessions’ that conveniently eat into actual productive time. Nothing kills innovation like spending half the day in ‘alignment’ meetings.
Collaboration is key in any business, except when it’s not. When the new hire asks for assistance, emails mysteriously go unanswered, Slack messages drift into the void, and urgent requests are met with, “Sorry, just seeing this now!” three weeks later.
We all know that colleague who takes undermining to an art form. They’ll outwardly appear supportive while subtly setting traps, particularly when the newbie won’t stroke their ego or points out better ways of doing things. Suddenly that “colleague” ‘accidentally’ forwards an email to the wrong person, conveniently forgets to invite the newcomer to key meetings, or provides just enough misleading information to ensure a project goes sideways. If called out, they’ll insist it was an honest mistake, because, after all, “we’re all on the same team,” right?
If all else fails, there’s always the whisper network. A few well-placed comments such as: “Did you hear they used to work for that competitor? Interesting…” or “I’m just saying, they seem a little… ambitious” can create just enough doubt to slow the newcomer’s ascent.
Of course, this is all in good fun (or is it?). The reality is, businesses thrive on fresh perspectives, and the smartest leaders recognize that a talented newcomer is an asset, not a threat. So, if you see this behaviour happening in your workplace, it might be time to ask: Are we fostering growth, or just protecting egos?
Because in the end, the best way to stay relevant isn’t by sabotaging the “new kid”, it’s by staying sharp, adaptable, and, most importantly, open to change.
Photo by Duncan McNab
