Most prevalent work-related phobias: Making decisions, taking responsibility, and public speaking

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Fears that "indirectly" affect respondents' work include public spaces or crowds, and speaking on the phone.

LiveCareer shed some light on fears and phobias in the workplace by asking more than 1,000 Americans about their experiences with work-related anxieties, to find an overwhelming 87% of the respondents do, in fact, suffer from work-related fears.

The most common work-related phobias are:

1. Making decisions
2. Taking responsibility
3. Public speaking
4. Getting fired
5. Making a mistake
6. Being disliked by coworkers or boss
7. Not being able to handle the workload

With such a large number of people being affected, four in five (81%) admit that their fears and phobias have affected their job in negative ways.

Respondents also cited fears that "indirectly" affect their work:

1. Public spaces or crowds
2. Speaking on the phone
3. Disorder or untidiness
4. Closed or open spaces

The researchers also presented the data by demographics, where some key findings include:

• Employees of corporations with 501+ people are the most fearless. 32% of them don't suffer from any fears, compared to only 15% of workers in micro companies (1–10 employees) and 10% of those employed in large firms (201–500 people).

• Employees aged 25 or younger reported the lowest incidence of fears and phobias, with 18% stating that they don't have any fears affecting their work life. In comparison, only 12% of employees aged 41+ said the same.

• People with more work experience are more resilient. 32% of employees with 6 or more years of experience report having no phobias. In comparison, only 18% of employees with 3–5 years of experience and 19% of those with one–two years of experience reported the same.

• Software/IT workers were most reluctant to share their fears. 26% have never discussed them at work. In comparison, just 12% of education sector employees reported the same.

Further on the positive side, eight in 10 people (80%) said they have discussed their fears and phobias with someone at their workplace. They were most likely to share their anxieties with their co-workers (40%) of the HR team (31%), and only slightly less likely to share with their manager (26%).

Ed's note: Although this study was conducted in the US, we believe the findings are interesting for readers globally, since they address mental health concerns. If you or your colleague/peer is facing phobias at work, we greatly encourage you to talk about it, and we hope you find the right support system when you're ready!

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All images / LiveCareer