Have you heard of imposter syndrome? It basically boils down to a feeling of “you’re not good enough” or “not accomplishing up to par,” even when there’s clear evidence to the contrary. Sometimes, individuals who are quite accomplished may feel as though they’re still not doing well enough and fear that they will be found out as frauds, though nothing could be further from the truth.
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Imposter syndrome strikes individuals everywhere and can cause persistent feelings of inadequacy. Those who deal with these feelings often dismiss their apparent successes as luck or circumstance. While the exact number of people dealing with this is unknown, its incidence is high; it’s likely that many of your employees have had these feelings.
These are common feelings, and they can impact employees significantly. In turn, this means there will be an impact on employers. For example:
- Employees may struggle with a lack of confidence and be less likely to jump at new opportunities, fearing this will be the time they’re discovered as incapable of performing up to expectations.
- Employees may have continual stress and anxiety over this, which can derail daily activities. This can diminish productivity levels even for employees who are clearly competent at what they do.
- Job satisfaction may be affected. Despite good accomplishments, those who are dealing with imposter syndrome may be less likely to be satisfied with their job.
- Employees may push too far. Fear of being found out as a fraud may compel some individuals to work to the point of burnout—even if it’s entirely unnecessary to remain in good standing at work. This can also manifest as perfectionism and can ultimately create problems.
- Turnover can even result. These issues can even lead some people to leave their jobs when they begin to feel there’s a lot of pressure and a high chance of being found out for “what they truly are”—even though this is unfounded and not a risk.
Employers can have a positive impact on the situation. Here are some ways to help:
- Have an employee assistance program (EAP) for employees to turn to when they’re feeling overwhelmed and need someone to talk to.
- Be wary of encouraging too much competition. While some competition can be good, employers need to strike a balance so there isn’t an unhealthy level of comparison among people who are already doing well.
- Consider implementing a mentoring program, which can help people connect and have a safe place to discuss how they’re doing.
- Train managers to communicate often and to give positive feedback frequently. While this, of course, will not eliminate imposter syndrome, external encouragement can help emphasize that employees truly are doing their jobs well.
- Communicate that mistakes are not the end of the world and are not only accepted but also understandable and that teams will always work together to make things right. In short, make it OK for someone to “fail” in a normal capacity to take away some pressure.
What other steps has your organization taken to combat this issue in the workplace?