Contrary to the popular belief that performance anxiety only occurs during major events (e.g., an actor experiencing stage fright on opening night), common workplace situations are also conducive to causing such an emotion. This is what Paiement and her colleagues aimed to demonstrate by documenting performance anxiety at work and the coping strategies adopted by some Quebec workers. Let’s see how their approach can equip CDPs to better understand this phenomenon and prevent its negative effects.
Paiement and her colleagues conducted 10 semi-structured phone interviews with adults working in different environments who had experienced at least one work-related performance anxiety situation in the last 3 months. The results of their study reveal several dimensions of performance anxiety.
Determinants of Performance Anxiety
Participants identified several factors that contribute to triggering or fueling performance anxiety, including the ambiguity and unpredictability of tasks to be accomplished, poor control over situations, the desire to meet other people’s expectations, or having high expectations of oneself. Lack of feedback from managers and a performance-oriented organizational culture were also blamed.
Manifestations of Performance Anxiety at Work
Participants reported experiencing physical, emotional, cognitive, and behavioural problems. These included fatigue, digestive problems, feelings of helplessness and incompetence, negative intrusive thoughts, self-doubt, and the constant fear of making mistakes.
Coping Strategies for Performance Anxiety
When faced with performance anxiety at work, participants mentioned a range of coping strategies, some of which are problem-oriented and others emotion-oriented. Problem-oriented strategies include healthy practices such as cognitive restructuring (e.g., de-dramatizing the situation), seeking feedback and planning, but also potentially harmful methods such as “workaholism,” isolation, and rumination.
Among the emotional strategies mentioned, some can also be considered healthy (such as emotional regulation and self-care), but others less so (such as avoidance, denial, and the use of drugs and alcohol). Venting emotions to colleagues or loved ones and seeking reassurance can be positive in small doses. Overusing venting can potentially fuel relational tensions at work and elsewhere.
Consequences of performance anxiety at work
Among the consequences, the authors note a deterioration in social relationships and difficulty in enjoying quality personal time. Paradoxically, whereas all participants reported negative consequences for their mental health, 6 out of 10 claimed that their performance anxiety improved their work performance. This paradox could be explained by the distinction between beneficial and detrimental performance anxiety, an idea similar to that of “good stress” versus “bad stress.”
Conclusion
The testimonies of these employees clearly highlight the extent of the phenomenon of performance anxiety, and the fact that it is rooted in daily work tasks. Several lines of action can be integrated by CDPs to prevent anxiety at work and better equip those who suffer from it. One recommendation is to develop training courses aimed at educating employees and managers to recognize and prevent performance anxiety at work. CDPs can also base their interventions to manage performance anxiety on the coping strategies documented by this study.
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