Social anxiety at work can significantly impact your career, holding you back from reaching your full potential. It can cause you to avoid necessary interactions, hesitate to share ideas in meetings, or decline opportunities for advancement due to fear of social scrutiny.
This anxiety often leads to underperformance, missed promotions, and a general sense of dissatisfaction with one’s career trajectory.
Understanding and addressing social anxiety can lead to a more fulfilling and successful professional life
Therefore, addressing it is crucial as it not only affects personal well-being but also impacts professional relationships and overall job performance.
By doing so, you can begin improving communication skills, increasing confidence, and creating a more productive and enjoyable work environment.
Signs of social anxiety at work
Social anxiety at work can manifest in various ways, impacting your ability to perform and interact effectively.
Recognizing these signs is the first step towards addressing them and enhancing professional performance and workplace relationships.
Excessive Self-Consciousness and Fear of Judgment
Individuals with social anxiety often experience excessive self-consciousness and fear of judgment in social situations, such as meetings, presentations, or casual conversations with colleagues.
This can lead to reluctance to speak up or share ideas, causing missed opportunities for collaboration and professional growth.
Other signs:
- Constantly monitoring one’s own behavior
- Overanalyzing past interactions
- Reluctance to speak up in meetings
- Avoiding asking questions
- Extreme worry about making mistakes
- Difficulty accepting compliments
Avoidance Behavior
People may avoid speaking in meetings, participating in presentations, or attending social events and networking opportunities. This behavior can limit career advancement and isolate the individual from their peers.
Other signs:
- Skipping office social events
- Eating lunch alone
- Preferring email over face-to-face communication
- Reluctance to use the phone
- Arriving early or staying late to avoid interactions
Physical Symptoms
Social anxiety often triggers physical symptoms, such as sweating, trembling, rapid heartbeat, or nausea when faced with social interactions or public speaking. These symptoms can be distressing and further exacerbate the anxiety.
Other signs:
- Trembling or shaking during presentations
- Rapid heartbeat in social situations
- Sweating profusely
- Nausea or stomach upset before meetings
- Difficulty breathing in social settings
Difficulty with Authority Figures
People with social anxiety may struggle with authority figures at work due to fear of judgment, criticism, or negative evaluation.
Other signs:
- Extreme nervousness around supervisors
- Struggling to assert needs or opinions to higher-ups
- Avoiding one-on-one meetings with managers
- Difficulty negotiating salary or benefits
- Overreacting to constructive criticism
Perfectionism and Overworking
Social anxiety can lead to perfectionism, where the individual fears making mistakes or being perceived as incompetent.
This can result in overworking, excessive preparation, and procrastination. These behaviors can increase stress and reduce overall productivity.
Other signs:
- Obsessing over work quality
- Spending excessive time on tasks
- Difficulty delegating tasks
- Procrastination due to fear of imperfection • Harsh self-criticism
Resistance to Change
People with social anxiety often resist change because new situations amplify their feelings of uncertainty and fear of judgment.
They tend to cling to familiar routines and environments where they feel safer, avoiding the potential social challenges and attention that changes might bring.
Other signs:
- Extreme anxiety about job changes or new responsibilities
- Difficulty adapting to new team members
- Reluctance to learn new skills that involve social interaction
- Panic about job interviews or performance reviews
- Staying in unfulfilling jobs due to fear of change
What can trigger social anxiety at work?
Social anxiety at work can be triggered by various situations, leading to significant distress and worse job performance.
These triggers can vary depending on the type of work environment, and understanding these can help you identify specific anxiety-inducing situations and develop strategies to manage them effectively.
Let us look at and discuss some of the most common ones:
Small Talk and Networking
Small talk and networking are essential aspects of many jobs, from office settings to retail and hospitality. However, engaging in casual conversations with colleagues or strangers can be particularly daunting for individuals with social anxiety.
The fear of saying something wrong or being judged can make these interactions stressful. Networking events, where the goal is to build professional relationships, can amplify these fears, as individuals may feel pressure to make a good impression and establish connections.
Meetings
Meetings, whether in-person or virtual, can be a significant trigger as the prospect of speaking in front of a group, even if it is just a few colleagues, can cause intense anxiety.
This fear is often rooted in concerns about being judged, making mistakes, or not being able to articulate thoughts clearly. The anxiety can be even more pronounced in larger or more formal meetings where the stakes feel higher.
Presentations
The need to speak publicly, often with the added pressure of delivering important information or convincing an audience, can be overwhelming.
This is true not only in office environments but also in teaching, training, or any role requiring public speaking. Oftentimes, the fear of forgetting lines, technical issues, or negative audience reactions can significantly exacerbate anxiety.
Phone Calls
Unlike face-to-face interactions, phone calls lack visual cues, which can make communication feel more challenging and increase the fear of misunderstandings or awkward silences.
This anxiety can be particularly pronounced in customer service roles, telemarketing, or any job requiring frequent phone communication.
Talking to Clients or Authority Figures
Interacting with clients, customers, or authority figures, such as supervisors and managers, can be particularly anxiety-inducing. The pressure to provide excellent service, deliver on expectations, or respond to queries confidently can be daunting.
Someone with social anxiety may experience a sense of dread whenever they receive a work email or when their supervisor wishes to speak to them. They may jump to conclusions believing they have done something wrong, even though these fears are often irrational.
This is true in various fields, including retail, healthcare, legal, and financial services. The fear of not meeting expectations or making a poor impression can heighten anxiety in these interactions.
Interviews
Job interviews are inherently stressful for most people, but they can be especially challenging for those with social anxiety. The high stakes of securing a job, combined with the pressure to perform well and make a good impression, can trigger intense anxiety.
This can lead to difficulties in articulating thoughts, responding to questions confidently, and engaging in the interview process effectively.
Being Put on the Spot
Being put on the spot, such as being asked a question unexpectedly in a meeting, being called upon to give an opinion, or being asked to perform a task without preparation, can trigger significant anxiety.
Being the center of attention can make someone with social anxiety feel hyper-aware of how they come across and more worried about showing physical signs of anxiety, which, in turn, can increase these signs.
The fear of not knowing the answer, saying something incorrect, or appearing unprepared can cause panic and stress. This trigger is common across various job types, including teaching, retail, and customer service.
Different Work Environments
It is important to consider that triggers for social anxiety can vary widely depending on the type of work environment.
In office settings, triggers might include team meetings, presentations, and networking events. In retail or hospitality, interacting with customers, handling complaints, or working in a busy, high-pressure environment can be major triggers.
In healthcare, dealing with patients, making quick decisions, and collaborating with a team under stressful conditions can exacerbate social anxiety. For remote workers, video conferences, virtual meetings, and phone calls can be significant sources of anxiety.
How to manage social anxiety at work
Managing social anxiety at work can significantly improve job performance and overall well-being. Here are some practical strategies to help you navigate and reduce social anxiety in the workplace:
Consider Disclosing Your Social Anxiety to Your Employer
Deciding whether to disclose your social anxiety to your employer is a personal decision that depends on your comfort level and the workplace environment.
If you choose to disclose, doing so can lead to a supportive work environment where your needs are better understood.
Many employers are willing to make reasonable accommodations, such as adjusting your workload, providing a quieter workspace, or allowing more flexible communication methods.
When disclosing, focus on how your social anxiety affects your work and suggest specific accommodations that could help. However, it is essential to weigh the potential benefits against any concerns about privacy or stigmatization.
Remember, Social Anxiety is Maintained Through Avoidance
Social anxiety is often perpetuated through avoidance behaviors, creating a self-reinforcing cycle. When individuals with social anxiety avoid anxiety-provoking situations, they experience temporary relief, which negatively reinforces the avoidance behavior.
However, this prevents them from:
- Gaining evidence that their fears may be exaggerated
- Developing coping skills for managing anxiety
- Building confidence in social situations
- Challenging and correcting negative thought patterns
Over time, avoidance can lead to:
- Increased isolation
- Diminished social skills
- Strengthened belief in perceived threats
- Heightened anxiety when facing unavoidable social situations
This cycle maintains and potentially worsens social anxiety. Breaking this pattern often requires gradual exposure to feared situations, allowing individuals to learn that they can cope with anxiety and that feared outcomes rarely occur.
Professional help, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, can be crucial in overcoming avoidance and managing social anxiety effectively.
Drop Safety Behaviors
Safety behaviors are actions or mental strategies that individuals with anxiety use to feel more secure in anxiety-provoking situations.
Safety behaviors aim to prevent or minimize perceived threats or reduce anxiety symptoms. While these behaviors may provide temporary relief, they are ultimately a form of avoidance.
By relying on these behaviors, individuals avoid fully experiencing and overcoming their fears. They maintain false beliefs about threats and one’s inability to cope without them.
To drop social anxiety safety behaviors at work, start by identifying your specific habits, such as overpreparing or avoiding eye contact. Gradually reduce reliance on these behaviors, beginning with less stressful situations.
Assessing Job Suitability vs. Avoidance
While it may seem tempting to seek a job that requires minimal social interaction, this approach can sometimes fuel avoidance and reinforce anxiety.
If you are in a job where it is solely working from home, with little interaction with others, this does not challenge you to overcome anxiety and can make you more socially anxious when there are times when you must socialize.
Instead, consider roles that provide a balance between your comfort zone and opportunities for gradual exposure to social situations. Look into jobs that can suit someone with social anxiety.
For instance, a job that involves both independent tasks and occasional teamwork can help you build social skills in a manageable way. The key is to challenge yourself without overwhelming your capacity to cope.
By slowly increasing your exposure to social interactions, you can gradually reduce your anxiety and improve your confidence!
Practice Deep Breathing and Mindfulness
Mindfulness and deep breathing exercises can help you stay calm and centered in social situations. For example, before entering a potentially anxiety-inducing scenario, take a few minutes to practice deep breathing.
Inhale slowly through your nose for a count of four, hold your breath for four counts, and exhale through your mouth for six counts.
This simple technique can reduce physical symptoms of anxiety and help you approach the situation with a clearer mind.
Additionally, mindfulness practices, such as focusing on the present moment and observing your thoughts without judgment, can reduce the overall impact of anxiety.
Don’t Over-Prepare or Over-Practice
A person with social anxiety shouldn’t excessively prepare or practice what to say because:
- Overpreparing is a safety behavior that can reinforce anxiety. While some preparation is normal, excessive rehearsal perpetuates the belief that social interactions are threats requiring special measures. It prevents natural, spontaneous communication and adaptability in conversations.
- Overreliance on scripts can increase anxiety if the interaction doesn’t go as planned. It may lead to appearing stiff or unnatural, potentially drawing more attention – the opposite of what’s desired.
- Constant preparation reinforces the false belief that one can’t handle social situations without extensive planning. This undermines confidence and prevents learning that most interactions can be navigated successfully without perfect preparation.
Instead, gradual exposure to unscripted interactions helps build genuine social skills and confidence, allowing for more authentic and less anxious social experiences over time.
Gradual Exposure
Gradual exposure to anxiety-inducing situations is a proven method to reduce social anxiety. Start by identifying less intimidating social scenarios and gradually work your way up to more challenging ones.
For example, begin with brief conversations with colleagues, then progress to contributing in small meetings, and eventually tackle larger presentations.
By exposing yourself to these situations incrementally, you can desensitise yourself to the anxiety they provoke and build confidence in your ability to handle them.
What really helped me was to use my personality traits to corner myself into facing a SAD fear. For example, I was scared to speak in front of large audiences but I also had a strong sense of not letting people down.
Therefore, I purposefully joined seminars that had team project presentations. By doing so, I tricked my brain into addressing a crowd due to my sense of duty to my team.
Self-reflect and see if you can come up with your little tricks to emulate this in a manner that feels comfortable for you.
Utilize Support Systems
Lean on your support systems, both inside and outside of work. For example, having a trusted colleague, mentor, or supervisor to talk to about your challenges can provide valuable perspective and encouragement. Outside of work, consider joining a support group for individuals with social anxiety.
These groups offer a safe space to share experiences, learn coping strategies, and receive support from others who understand your struggles.
Additionally, seeking help from a mental health professional, such as a therapist specializing in CBT, can provide structured and effective strategies to manage your anxiety.
Focus on Strengths and Achievements
It is important to remind yourself of your strengths and past achievements, especially when anxiety makes you doubt your abilities. Keep a journal where you document your successes, no matter how small.
What really helped me was creating a folder on my phone with screenshots and pictures of all my proud moments, kind messages, achievements, and happy memories. Imagine it like a treasure chest of positivity that you can access when your SAD starts acting up.
Reflecting on these positive experiences can boost your confidence and provide a counterbalance to negative thoughts.
By focusing on what you have accomplished, you can reinforce a positive self-image and reduce the impact of social anxiety.
Create a Positive Work Environment
Creating a positive and comfortable work environment can help reduce anxiety. For example, personalize your workspace with items that make you feel calm and happy, such as photos, plants, or inspirational quotes.
Establishing a routine can also provide a sense of stability and predictability, which can be comforting in the face of anxiety.
Additionally, take regular breaks to recharge and manage stress. A quick walk outside, a few minutes of stretching, or a brief mindfulness exercise can help you reset and return to work with a clearer mind.
Lastly, what really helped me was being in contact with the company wellbeing team. While you can do your best to create a positive work environment, negative days can happen. Establishing good support avenues and utilizing company sources is key for when that happens.
Start small by reaching out to one trusted colleague or HR representative via email. This reduces the anxiety of face-to-face interaction. Briefly explain your interest in workplace wellbeing and suggest a short, informal chat about potential support options.
Remember, the worst outcome is a polite decline, which doesn’t diminish your worth or the validity of your suggestion.
Seek Professional Help
If social anxiety is significantly impacting your work life, seeking professional help can be highly beneficial. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for social anxiety.
A therapist can work with you to identify negative thought patterns, develop coping strategies, and gradually expose you to anxiety-inducing situations.
Medication may also be an option for some individuals, and a mental health professional can help determine the best course of action.
By implementing these strategies, you can manage social anxiety more effectively, leading to improved job performance, better relationships with colleagues, and greater overall job satisfaction.
Addressing social anxiety in the workplace is not only beneficial for personal well-being but also contributes to a more positive and productive work environment.
Further information
Supporting Employees With Social Anxiety: Bupa
Stepping Out Of Social Anxiety: Centre For Clinical Interventions
Anxiety In The Workplace: Action Mental Health
