3 Top Workplace Anxieties That Every Manager Should Know About

By Barbara Dunkiel

Workplace anxieties can directly affect the bottom line of any company, regardless of its size. For small businesses, though, the impact can be more severe. Just one employee’s fears—about a performance review, company buyout, or conflict with a coworker, for example—can completely change the dynamics of a small office. The toxic ripple effect is often harder to stop and control than prevent.

As a manager you need to know how to respond proactively to anxiety. When you are familiar with and attuned to the ways anxiety can manifest itself in the workplace, you will be better prepared to manage people who are dealing with it.

3 common workplace anxieties

1. Fear of conflict

Fear of conflict is often a big anxiety in the workplace, especially among those who by their nature go out of their way to avoid conflict.

There are many causes of workplace conflict. Personality differences are one source, but conflict can also be caused by poor management: unclear job roles, insufficient training, ineffective communication, and preferential treatment to some employees and not others. What this means is that managers can ease employees’ fears of conflict by becoming more effective in these core facets of management.

Also, when people are afraid of conflict, they tend to avoid communication—but avoidance usually makes anxiety worse. Conflict avoidance also reduces collaboration, which is essential in a healthy, high-functioning office.

One of the most helpful things a manager can do is to keep an open line of communication. This may require directly naming and addressing the underlying tension in the room, so that employees can feel heard.

2. Social anxiety

Social anxiety is quite common in workplace settings; 15 million Americans suffer from “social anxiety disorder,” which is also the second most common form of clinical anxiety, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA). The condition is characterized by intense fears of being judged, criticized, or negatively received in contexts where a person is being asked to perform or interact with others.

Many work-related functions can be landmines for social anxiety:

• Public speaking or presentations on Zoom
• Brainstorming sessions that involve feedback from colleagues
• Annual performance evaluations
• Group conversations over the lunch table
• Holiday parties

These situations can be stressful for anyone in the workplace—not just those who suffer from a diagnosable anxiety disorder. Social anxiety can also take the form of fear of looking incompetent, embarrassed, or nervous, or of public criticism.

In your business, be mindful of these triggers and, when appropriate, you can dispel some anxieties by acknowledging and validating them, giving coworkers permission to feel anxious. Also, you can be open about your own anxieties. For example: “I have to give a presentation and I hate public speaking and feel really nervous” models vulnerability for the people who work for you and sends the message that feeling anxious is okay. When coworkers know they won’t be judged for being open about their anxieties, that permission takes some of the edge off.

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If social anxiety is severe enough that it is affecting work performance, intervene right away. Meet with the employee and invite them to share what’s going on and what assistance they might need to cope. Try to listen empathetically. They may or may not have a disorder—only a mental health professional can make that call. In either case, connecting them with mental health resources is a good next step.

Social anxiety disorder qualifies as a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which means that an affected employee is entitled to reasonable accommodations. (Essentially any chronic condition which significantly limits a bodily function is going to qualify, and cognitive thinking and concentration are bodily functions.)

If medical documentation confirms that an employee has social anxiety disorder, managers can offer accommodations such as:

• Flexible work schedules that accommodate therapy or treatment sessions
• A private office or desk area that is less exposed to social traffic and face-to-face encounters with colleagues
• Whenever feasible, communication by email rather than face-to-face meetings
• A support animal that comes to work with them
• More preparation time for performance evaluation meetings and/or a support person who can be in attendance

3. Workplace concerns

Concerns about job performance, deadlines, and workload are commonplace. As many as 87% of employees struggle with performance anxiety at work, according to Factorial. A survey by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America found that deadlines were the worst offender, affecting 55% of employees, and that anxiety over deadlines could cause employees to miss them altogether.

Today with stress and burnout affecting employee health, retention, and productivity, managers have an even more urgent responsibility to intervene early when there’s a problem—but first you need to be able to spot signs of stress:

• Requesting excessive time off work or skipping out on work
• Giving an impression or expressing that they are overwhelmed
• Increased irritability, poor concentration, reduced productivity
• Becoming more emotional, moody or over-reactive, or overly sensitive
• Negative comments, sadness, depression, anxiety
• Verbal and nonverbal body language
• Lost enthusiasm, confidence, and energy

It’s worth considering having an open-door policy that allows employees to feel comfortable and free to talk at any time to discuss job challenges or personal issues that require emotional support. If an employee’s anxieties are related to work pressures and performance, consider asking them questions like:

• What are the main causes of your stress?
• Do you feel you have the necessary tools or training to do your job properly?
• What can be done to prevent the pressures from becoming negative stressors?
• What can we do to help you feel more confident and stable in your role?
• What assistance can we provide to help you cope better with these issues?
• What are your action plans, goals, and time frames?
• What reasonable accommodations would you need?

Importance of addressing workplace anxiety

Fear of conflict, social anxiety, and concerns about performance, deadlines, and workload top the list of anxieties in the workplace. By being aware of these anxieties and knowing how to address them, you can run an office that is less conducive to stress and friendlier to productivity and your bottom line.

Of course, not even the very best manager can banish anxiety from the workplace. A manager also needs to know their limitations, and when to recognize an employee may need to be referred to a licensed professional for help.

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