The Jobs Confidence Index found that employees are feeling more confident at work, with the index increasing by 9.5 points from Q4 2022 – but when this is broken down, a bigger picture of uncertainty is unveiled. With the pay confidence of employees declining to -36.6 points and employee job search and progression gradually rising to 35.2 points in Q1 2023, the data shows a workforce content to pursue greater value from their work.
Despite this emerging trend, confident workers still get the workplace wobbles. New survey data from music licensing company PPL PRS reveals that nearly half (46%) of respondents cite performance reviews as their biggest cause of workplace anxiety, with 71% claiming they have confidence at work but still suffer from low confidence in some situations.
The PPL PRS survey asked 1000 UK workers in the professional services sector, in jobs ranging from interns to C-suite level, about the conditions that impact their confidence at work.
Wellness and learning coach Deborah Green explores the power of music alongside five other tips to help boost your confidence and the confidence of those around you in the workplace.
Recognise good work
If you’re reviewing your work, note down your successes and recognise your abilities in your job. Consider creating a “smile file” that you could reflect on in moments of self-doubt.
If reviewing a colleague’s work, make sure to let them know about the quality of their work and use reassuring language to boost their confidence in the work they are doing.
Use positive language in the workplace
If you find yourself talking down on your work, practise talking yourself up. For example, changing from “I don’t think I can do this” to “I will try my best even though this is my first time”. Changing your perspective on your work will lead you to feel more confident in the work you do.
Listen to music
When looking at what helps employees feel more completely confident in themselves, 90% of respondents stated that music helped them to feel more confident. Almost two-thirds (60%) of people answered that contemporary pop got them ready for the day’s work, with RnB (34%) and Rock (27%) following closely as confidence boosters. This is something to note when playing music in the office.
Almost three-quarters (73%) of employees would say they’re confident in their work, but there are still situations that arise at work that could use that extra push of confidence to get them working to their full potential. Nearly half (46%) of respondents said they need a confidence boost before performance reviews, and 39% said starting new projects also requires extra confidence. These are both anxiety-inducing tasks which may benefit from confidence-boosting background music.
You could invite your team to write anonymously their favourite tune and how it lifts them. Put these songs into a Spotify playlist for them, which could then be played at different times during the team’s day, and watch their mood and confidence soar.
Set confidence KPIs
Having confidence goals to focus on will help you monitor your progression into a more confident worker over time. Seeing your changes will help you realise your full potential. Some confidence KPIs could be looking at how many times you’ve been proud of a piece of work you have produced or tallying the compliments on your work.
Find your cheerleaders
We all know seeing the best in yourself can be a struggle, so find your cheerleaders at work, whether a manager or a colleague you trust. Having someone who can lift you in your moments of low confidence will make a big difference in your outlook on your work.
Find enjoyment in your work
If you’re someone who finds starting a project makes you feel undue stress, find a way to make it fun. Doing work that you enjoy will improve your relationship with your work and lead you to feel more confident in what you’re producing as you’re enjoying making it. The process takes time, but changing how you perceive your work will make you feel more capable and confident.
For employers, when considering playing music in a public place, keep in mind that different employees will react differently to some genres, so make sure to keep a good mix on the playlist to accommodate your employees and boost everyone’s confidence. You should also try to foster an environment of praise and progression amongst your employees to ensure they feel confident in their work.
