I recently started a new job two months ago and had difficulty in the beginning although it’s slowly getting better now. I had discussed this with my two bosses and told them that I didn’t feel comfortable in the team yet and a bit ostracized by certain team members. I work in a daycare in Germany and speak German as a second language for context. Sometimes when we go outside with the kids, certain colleagues will come outside with their group and say hi to everyone else except me. One woman even says hi to everyone, makes eye contact with me, and then doesn’t say anything.
There was another example where a colleague said hi to me and I also replied Hi. She turned to our colleague next to her and said in front of me, “she (meaning me) doesn’t say anything/stays silent.” I am a quieter person in social settings, even more in German because it is my second language, and have often heard this from other people.
My boss talked to this colleague since I had used this example as one reason why I don’t feel accepted in the tea. My colleague came to say sorry to me today although she said she can’t remember this situation. She also said that she didn’t mean anything mean. I explained that I felt like she was commenting on me being quiet. Her answer was that “she’s quiet too. She is older than me and has more experience, but she’s also a quieter type. I also shouldn’t think that it had anything to do with me not being able to speak German well. ” I have been told by other people that I can speak German well.
Am I being too sensitive in this situation in the garden? How would you react to colleagues who are a bit distant when you are new to a company?