Nearly three in five (58 per cent) workers experience imposter syndrome in the workplace – meaning they often believe they are inferior to others or have faked their way into positions despite impressive accomplishments, according to a report from Indeed.
Overall, more than one in 10 (13 per cent) employees and one in five (20 per cent) of senior managers admit they “always” or “very frequently” feel like a fraud, finds the survey of 2,500 workers in the U.K.
“This is quite common in all workplaces, but has particular implications in corporate and academic environments, where certain jobs hold a lot of power and have a lot of responsibilities,” says Fabienne Palmer, a clinical psychologist who consults organizations in the creative industry.
Employers with workers who experience frequent imposter syndrome face considerable challenges:
- greater levels of procrastination (63 per cent)
- longer working hours (57 per cent)
- higher staff turnover (44 per cent)
- a loss in productivity (41 per cent)
- employees who avoid applying for internal promotions (39 per cent).
“If you feel you don’t fit the mold, or represent something slightly different from the norm, imposter syndrome, or the sense you are left with — the emotions, thoughts, and feelings in your body — can really impact on your sense of self, your confidence, and ultimately your capacity to thrive in the workplace,” says Palmer.
