51% of employees feel like they’re “faking it”. Over half of the labor force has imposter syndrome at work. Or do they?
Is it really imposter syndrome at work, or is it something else? Something to do with company culture, toxic positivity, and growth over all else environments?
The cause is likely to be different for every employee and every business. Regardless of the cause, there are some things you can do to support your employees. And reduce the likelihood that your business will suffer the inevitable burnout that comes from toxic positivity and masking.
If someone isn’t fine, they shouldn’t have to pretend that they are — this is only going to damage their physical and mental health, and it’s only going to hurt your business.
Don’t force confidence
There’s a frustrating trend in society where we don’t feel able to say when we don’t know something anymore. The internet has made life very black and white. Influencers talk about subjects they don’t understand. AI says things with so much certainty you doubt your own experience. 40% of employees feel pressured to appear more knowledgeable than they feel. It’s no wonder imposter syndrome at work is on the rise.
But there’s something to be said for doubt. It keeps us humble. It also keeps us creative and questioning. If we’re always thinking of ways we can improve things, because we’re doubting our own confidence, it can help us be more effective at our jobs.
One of the reasons I got so good at novel writing was because I knew my weak spots and actively tried to improve them. Those areas that I perceived as weak spots are now things readers highlight in reviews as their favorite part, and I’m now being hired to teach writing workshops on. All because I doubted my ability to do something, and I therefore put the work in to improve.
If employees can’t doubt their own abilities, or talk to a mentor or colleague for advice, they’re never going to grow. They’ll just stagnate, unsure of where to get help from.
Provide helpful feedback
Few of us are ever taught how to give feedback, and those of us who are taught it are often only taught how to notice the negative.
But if someone only ever picks fault out of what you do, how do you know if you’re on the right path? It runs the risk of fixing what isn’t broken. And it can quickly give employees anxiety and imposter syndrome at work.
Effective feedback comments on the good and the bad. It’s only if people know what they’ve done well that they can iterate on that for next time, and look to fix what was wrong going forward too.
How you phrase feedback matters. Manners go a long way. Sarcastic or rude comments may be faster to put together, but they do nothing for employee morale and everything to damage relationships.
Be honest, but don’t be rude about it. And if you’re not sure how to do that, perhaps it’s time to look into how to give feedback.
Recognize employee achievements
Employee achievements, whether that’s passing probation, a 5-year anniversary, or completing a massive project, are major accomplishments and should be celebrated.
You don’t need to do anything big, but shout outs in a Slack channel go a long way to making someone feel like a valued part of the team and countering imposter syndrome at work. Their achievements get seen and acknowledged by their colleagues.
Employees want recognition, too. 29% of employees attribute their feeling of “faking it” to not getting enough feedback or recognition.
Offer mentorship opportunities
When someone is new to a career or a business, a mentor can help them settle in, get to know the industry, and grow within the company. It’s a simple way to make them feel accepted and understood, and gives them someone to answer their questions.
A mentor can connect them with other departments outside of the one they’re working in, which is particularly useful for forming bridges in larger companies where employees get less of an opportunity to get to know their colleagues.
Pairing your employees with high-achieving colleagues they’re comparing themselves to will help level up their skills and confidence, as well as reminding your high-achievers what life was like before they hit that point. It keeps them humble, which turns them into more effective leaders. This grounding process can keep imposter syndrome at work from creeping in.
Encourage management to be honest
The impact management has on company culture and employee attitudes can never be understated. If managers pretend that they’re perfect and infallible, of course employees will feel inadequate by comparison. These walls can lead to imposter syndrome at work developing across your teams.
When employers step up and share their setbacks and struggles — in a genuine way, not in a Ted Talk style-way, as if they’re trying to prove a point — it shows employees that they are still human, not a team of robots.
Be more realistic about expectations
Companies want high performers, but they rarely treat them like people. 22% of employees feel that high management expectations contribute to their feelings of “faking it.”
Management wants more done, faster. They want to make money and keep growing and make shareholders happy.
But management also needs to remember what it’s like further down the food chain.
AI can’t think creatively or critically. Adding it to your workflow isn’t going to speed things up as much as it appears.
Not if you want a creative business that innovates, rather than one that stereotypes and makes confident assumptions.
Realistic, sustainable expectations prioritize your company culture as well as profit margins. They also help prevent imposter syndrome at work from holding your workforce back.
Support employees with ERGs
Your employee groups don’t just give team members the chance to connect with colleagues. They’re also useful tools for growing skills, and therefore confidence.
When employees can get feedback and mentoring from colleagues who’ve been in their shoes, it will naturally grow their confidence. When employees have genuine confidence, they’re less susceptible to imposter syndrome at work.
Want help getting more from your ERGs? That’s where Workrowd comes in. Get in touch to find out more.
Conclusion
Employees feeling like they’re faking it at work risks eroding relationships, productivity, and mental health.
It’s draining, meaning it can lead to burnout and health challenges in the future, too.
Your team members need to feel like they can be honest when they’re unsure about something and not like they have to mask and pretend that everything is picture perfect. Nothing ever is, and running away from the problems creates a culture of toxic positivity that damages your company culture, employer brand, and profit margin. Don’t let imposter syndrome at work hurt your employees or your business.
