Last Updated on: 22nd November 2023, 12:05 am
BUSINESSES in Manchester need to do more to support employees suffering with work-related performance anxiety, the business world’s equivalent to stage fright, despite it being a regular occurrence for many workers, according to new research.
RADA Business, the commercial subsidiary of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art which provides communication skills training for corporate individuals has found that on average, workers in Manchester feel anxious two to three times per week.
The research, which has been published in the Beating Workplace Performance Anxiety report, revealed that despite high levels of communication anxiety being reported in the workplace, very few employers act effectively to train and support their teams.
Just 13% of Manchester employees said that anxieties about communicating in the workplace are picked up and resolved by the management team.
Workplace performance anxiety can also undermine the effectiveness of teams. Almost a quarter reported that it brings a negative energy, while almost 1 in 5 (19%) say that work colleagues who are anxious about communicating make them feel anxious too, as the listener.
As well as the personal impact of these anxieties, the report found that this problem could have a major impact on business performance.
1 in 5 workers (20%) admitted to being less productive, and the same number confessed to calling in sick at work to avoid anxiety-inducing situations, such as difficult meetings or performance reviews.
Adrian Kirk, Tutor at RADA Business, commented on the findings: “It’s concerning to see how many workers in Manchester aren’t getting the support they need to tackle feelings of anxiety around communicating at work. These findings highlight the urgent need for more awareness from businesses, and more strategies to support their employees in this area. We’re convinced that organisations work most effectively when everyone has a voice; so we’re committed to helping organisations create a culture of more open communication, and to giving people the skills to speak confidently.”
RADA Business helps workers in all industries tackle workplace performance anxiety by harnessing simple acting techniques.
Adrian explains, “Techniques inspired by acting training can be effective at tackling performance anxiety in the workplace. Managing nerves and their physical effects can help release the build-up of tension and enable us to access our best self in the workplace.”
To read more about RADA Business’s training, please visit www.radabusiness.com.
RADA Business helps people at work become brilliant communicators. We build on the work of one of the world’s most respected drama schools to deliver world-class training programmes and coaching for organisations and individuals.
