How to survive when you have a personality
I’ve recently changed firms and am in a new environment. My last firm was bigger, more informal socially, very hard working and professional, but for the most part, folks were actually quite likable and it didn’t feel like suffocating environment. I felt like I could express myself and be friendly and playful with my coworkers and that I didn’t dread going to work. I also had the ability to work from home, which I’ve now lost.
In my new environment, it’s myself, the firm head, and two other associates and a secretary. The office is dead quiet, extremely formal, and my colleagues take themselves very seriously. It’s hard to joke with them or talk to them in any meaningful way, and most days, I feel like I’m going to work in a suffocating environment. I am not looking forward to going to work anymore. I like my boss enough, and am learning a lot, but I feel like I need to change into a worker drone to survive in this place. We also have to come in five days a week so that’s been exhausting. My coworkers are always appeasing my boss and in “fawn” response, and I am trying to mirror it, but it’s killing me inside.
For our other extroverted folks, how do people deal with the stuffy, hyper formal parts of our profession. How do you make it work for yourself? I signed a 2 year contract so leaving isn’t an option; I just need to cope. Any thoughts?