FEAR AND EMPLOYEE MORALE
Fear is big. It's bigger than we could have imagined.
FEAR AND EMPLOYEE MORALE
Fear can have a devastating effect on engaging and retaining your people
Feeling fearful can get us into sticky situations.
Whistle-blowing is seen as one of the bravest things an employee can do. But fear can paralyse and prevent us from saying no if a situation feels uncomfortable. Fearful individuals report higher incidences of being put in these difficult, unpleasant situations more often than others, adding to general dread of day-to-day work.
Do you feel frustrated that you can’t do more to change your current professional situation?
Fear can seep into everything we do.
Fear at work isn’t just about the big things. Presentations and board meetings make us sweat, but for those with a more persistent sense of fear, even turning up and completing general everyday tasks can trigger feelings of fear and anxiety.
Causes of a sense of dread or discomfort in your professional life amongst those with persistent fear
But leaving a job we know isn’t right can feel like an uphill climb.
Even when we know a job is no longer a good fit, the fear of admitting defeat and resigning can be paralysing. Handing in notice and taking the leap to leaving a company is commonly seen as one of the top three bravest things a person could do at work.
Persistent fear affects employee productivity and turnover
Fear can feel like being stuck in a panic room. Individuals with persistent fear feel frustrated and unable to change their professional situations, and being at work makes individuals fearful, but the prospect of getting out feels even more scary.
What do you consider to be the bravest thing you’ve done in your professional life to be?
Many managers don't recognise the impact fear can have.
Despite fear being so powerful, there is often a lack of awareness of the severity of the effects it can have on the wellbeing of employees.
Less than half of managers surveyed believe that fear has a negative impact on employees' mental and physical wellbeing.
Fear can be extremely damaging to employee motivation, and leads to lost productivity and high churn, with resulting loss of intellectual capital. Recognising early where fear exists in the business can stem its destructive influence.
Next, understand the role that leaders can play in creating and alleviating fear...
