A study of 202 employees from across the globe by Roar! Training has found that only four per cent of employees feel fully confident at work. The research collated by Roar! Training’s founder Kirsty Hulse shows that lack of confidence is more widespread than many would believe. Only four per cent of respondents said that they feel fully confident at work which leaves 96 per cent struggling with confidence issues on a regular basis. In addition to this, 53 per cent admitted that they had turned down work opportunities due to lack of confidence.
The study also asked people what helps them. Support from peers came up as the top choice at 82 per cent, followed closely by practice at 81 per cent and support from employers at 74 per cent. When asked what caused them to feel unconfident, the responses were varied with some general themes coming through:
- Self-doubt
- Lack of recognition
- Being spoken over
- Lack of feedback
- Toxic company culture
- Fear of failure
- Anxiety
- Limited support and training
- Comparisons with others
- Imposter Syndrome
Regular feedback (77 per cent), external training (64 per cent), internal training (59 per cent) and regular catch ups (54 per cent) are the top ways people said their employer could help them feel more confident at work.
A total of 96 per cent said they have experienced Imposter Syndrome. Commenting on this issue Kirsty said: “The problem with impostor syndrome is that, by its very labelling, it feels somehow irrational or unique. If 96 per cent of us report experiencing it, it becomes more helpful for us to simply accept it as part of human experience, crucial for our growth.”
Kirsty continued “Next time those familiar feelings of “everybody else is better than me!” arise, try catching them and reminding yourself that what you’re experiencing is commonplace. Not an individual failing but simply part of an important process in your development.”
A company can appear great from the outside looking in, but great culture is not cultivated overnight and rarely depends on how many ping pong tables and Friday beers you offer. At its core a great company culture should be based on the people at the heart of it. 74 per cent of respondents told us that company culture was very important when looking for a job.
76 per cent said their employer has a good company culture, however 58 per cent said their expectation of their company’s culture doesn’t match up to their original perceptions. In fact, 86 per cent said they had worked at a toxic workplace.
37 per cent said that they are currently expected to work out of hours on a regular basis. However it was promising to hear that 49 per cent feel fully supported by their employer, with a further 46 per cent feeling supported sometimes and only five per cent not feeling supported at all.
Commenting on the findings Kirsty Hulse added: “Our workplace findings show just how widespread lack of confidence is and how this is holding us back from our full potential. Boosting confidence isn’t an instant fix, but with the right steps in place, consistency and self belief the 96 per cent of people feeling unconfident could experience transformative results.”
