Fears determine career choice for a quarter of UK workers

Nick Elvin

A quarter of workers (26.2%) admit to choosing their career paths in order to avoid dealing with their workplace fears, according to research from CV-Library.

Public speaking was the most common fear among the more than 3,000 UK professionals who took part, with 15.7% citing it. Presenting (12.2%), cold calling (11.5%), leading a meeting (7.3%) and missing targets (6.7%) were also named.

Also among the top 10 were speaking on the phone (6.4%); attending social events (6%); managing budgets (5.7%); liaising with senior staff (4.8%) and being away from home (3.4%).

The survey also sought to uncover how UK professionals react when faced with one of their work-based worries. Despite many workers selecting a career that removes them entirely from the situation, the majority of those who choose to face their fears appear to do so in a positive, proactive way. However, there are professionals who have adopted potentially damaging behaviours to help them deal with their workplace anxieties, which could become a real cause for concern.

The top 10 reactions among UK workers include “tackle it head on” (26.6%); “use as an opportunity to grow” (15.6%); “ignore it” (12.2%); “avoid the situation for as long as possible” (9%) and “keep a low profile” (7.6%).

“Panic”; “call in sick”; “make up an excuse to get out of it”; “take annual leave” and “become aggressive” were listed as other common reactions.

Lee Biggins, founder and managing director of CV-Library, said: “While it’s discouraging to see that so many workers are closing themselves off to career opportunities as a result of their fears, it is positive to see that many are choosing to face their worries confidently. January is the perfect time for the nation’s professionals to overcome their anxieties.”

When asked to identify the best ways to address workplace fears, over half of workers (51.7%) felt “training opportunities and managerial support” would be the most helpful.

Biggins added: “Many workers would massively benefit from extra support from their employer. Businesses can help their staff address and overcome their anxieties by providing additional training and mentoring programmes.”