Career Advice for Job Seekers
Employees Biggest Fear is Making Mistakes
William FriersonWhile everyone makes mistakes, employees are scared of making them on the job. Learn more in the following post.
It’s not ghosts or goblins or even public speeches that scare workers the most this Halloween: In an Accountemps survey, more than one in four (28 percent) respondents said making a mistake on the job is their biggest workplace fear.
Workers were asked, “Which one of the following is your greatest workplace fear?” Their responses:
| Making errors on the job | 28% |
| Dealing with difficult customers or clients | 18% |
| Conflicts with your manager | 15% |
| Speaking in front of a group of people | 13% |
| Conflicts with coworkers | 13% |
| No fears | 3% |
| Other | 7% |
| Don’t know/no answer | 4% |
| 101%* |
| * Responses do not total 100 percent due to rounding |
Max Messmer, Chairman and CEO of Robert Half International
“Mistakes will happen from time to time, and a healthy concern for avoiding them improves job performance — as long as that concern doesn’t undermine one’s confidence,” said Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps and author of Managing Your Career For Dummies®. “Fear of failure holds many people back in their careers, but without smart risks new ideas would never take shape.”
Like successful trick-or-treating, navigating frightening workplace situations requires forethought and the right approach. Here are five tips:
- Plan your route. A 20-page to-do list would scare anyone and is a recipe for mistakes on the job. To ease workload-related worries — and be more efficient — prioritize your responsibilities, and delegate when possible.
- Ask for directions. When facing a challenging project or new responsibilities, make sure you know what is expected of you. If you have concerns, let your manager know, and work with him or her to develop a strategy for overcoming them.
- Bring a friend. Don’t be afraid to tap a mentor for advice on a particularly devilish challenge. When preparing a critical project or communication, ask a confidant for his or her feedback.
- Say “thanks.” Whether it’s for candy or help with a difficult task, a sincere thank-you can go a long way toward building strong business relationships.
- Give out treats. Volunteer to assist overburdened colleagues, and be quick with praise for those who deliver outstanding work. You’ll make people — including yourself — feel good and foster an environment where colleagues help each other on a regular basis.
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