Those who suffer from impostor syndrome feel that they are not up to the task of their work circumstances, consider that they do not deserve their achievements, and feel like a fraud. Furthermore, this phenomenon is accompanied by a deep fear that, from one day to the next, other people will realize that the person who suffers from it is an imposter and will lose their position or job.
It is estimated that impostor syndrome affects 70% of people at some point in their lives, as reflected in the study The impostor phonomenon, published in the International Journal of Behavioral Science. This causes damage to the mental health of those who suffer from it, increasing the risk of suffering from stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, a decrease in performance and even developing depression, as well as falling into ‘burnout’ or worker syndrome. Burned. Therefore, it must be a priority for bosses and managers to be able to detect and remedy imposter syndrome in their team or company.
The first step to stopping imposter syndrome in a work team is to identify it and know which people are most vulnerable when it comes to suffering from it. Although it affects all ages and genders, the truth is that it is more prevalent among women. Furthermore, it is more frequent the greater the responsibility in the position or job. According to a KPMG study, 75% of female executives across all industries have experienced imposter syndrome in their careers.
In addition, it is also more common among minority ethnic groups, according to research published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. Finally, people with perfectionist tendencies, specialists with added responsibilities and workers especially involved in their job or career, are more prone to imposter syndrome.
A study published in the Journal of Managerial Psychology found that imposter syndrome is closely related to conflict between work and family. The authors highlighted that additional resources provided by organizations, such as organizational support, can weaken the negative experiences of those who suffer from impostor syndrome. “Managers should curb feelings of imposter syndrome within their organizations and provide organizational support to ‘imposters’ to reduce their emotional exhaustion and work-family conflict,” the study states.
Other recommendations to prevent impostor syndrome in the work environment are to raise awareness among workers about this phenomenon, since being able to identify it will be key to stopping it. Reducing the wage gap, avoiding comparisons between workers, rewarding and congratulating achievements, and being clear about each person’s expectations and objectives will also help prevent this condition.
