No matter what level of seniority you sit at, everyone feels moments of anxiety at work. Nerves are a common feeling when tackling something new or challenging at work, but sustained anxieties can result in an unmotivated workforce lacking in confidence – with knock-on effects on productivity, progression, and morale.
Music licensing company PPL PRS asked Brits to share their top anxiety-inducing situations at work, while Music Therapist Marianne Rizkallah and Leadership Coach Debbie Green share their advice for employers and People Managers to help their personnel overcome workplace anxiety and get back to delivering their best.
Signs of anxiety in the workplace
The first step to identifying those who need help with their workplace anxieties is spotting the signs.
“Understanding how the mind and body reacts to anxiety can help us address the symptoms,” says Marianne Rizkallah. “Our minds are masters at playing tricks on our bodies, causing symptoms to feel very real and overwhelming.
“Employees struggling with anxiety may experience physical symptoms such as a quickening heart rate, shallow breaths, fatigue and muscle aches. Workplace anxiety can also manifest mentally and emotionally, with symptoms like a quick temper or paranoid behaviour; for example, overreacting to or presuming the worst from comments from colleagues or managers.”
Causes of anxiety in the workplace
In a 2023 survey*, PPL PRS found these were the top five causes of anxiety in the workplace:
- Performance reviews – 50%
- Starting new projects – 39%
- Client meetings – 31%
- Internal meetings – 29%
- Answering calls – 28%
Performance reviews may cause higher anxiety levels as they can induce a fight or flight reaction for those under the spotlight. This is more the case if employees expect negative feedback, which can lead to overthinking about the situation and instil tension into the discussion. The same concerns can extend into other face to face meetings, where worries may stem from uncertainty around what employees are expected to bring to the table, or how they present themselves.
Theses anxieties don’t just centre around face-to-face encounters. Phone anxiety is an extension of social anxiety, with people not wanting to talk over the phone, preferring emails or texts to get information across.
If left unaddressed, workplace anxieties can lead to burnout – a chronic level of stress that can leave employees feeling physically and emotionally exhausted, detached and extremely negative. It’s often experienced by those who feel they have too much on their plate, expect too much of themselves, or feel inadequate in their role – all of which can stem from workplace anxieties. This all adds up to reduced work performance and can be considered a mental health issue.
How can you help employees with workplace anxiety?
When it comes to supporting your employees and helping ease their anxieties in the workplace, you can achieve this by making sure they feel their work environment is a psychologically safe space for them. Mental health first aid training can be a useful way to help HR and People Managers create this space for staff, and work together to get to the bottom of what’s creating problems for them. Staff with mental health first aid training could also be better placed to give employees advice they can use independently, to support themselves at work.
Marianne Rizkallah shares her expertise garnered from years as a music therapist. “I dedicate my career to supporting others and their symptoms, and it’s important to practise what I preach. These are my three favourite daily habits to ease negative feelings, which People Managers can encourage in their colleagues to help them combat workplace anxieties.”
- Listen to your favourite music
“In a recent PPL PRS survey**, when asked whether different types of music affect their mood in different ways (i.e. some lift their spirits while others leave them feeling mellow), almost two-thirds of Brits answered ‘yes definitely’ while 31% said ‘yes sometimes’.
I recommend tailoring your music choice to your need at the time:
- Play faster music to boost energy
Music genres with a slightly higher BPM (beats per minute) than your heart rate will encourage your heart to keep pace, pumping more oxygen around your body and have you firing on all cylinders. Therefore, music can enhance sporting performance — whether you’re in the gym or gearing up for a game.
You may wish to play tracks with a faster tempo at work to turbo-charge you through your to-do list; on admin-heavy or repetitive tasks, for example. Indeed, PPL PRS further found that pop music — a generally upbeat style of music — is the most popular genre to power productivity at work (43%) while over a quarter (26%) of UK workers prefer rock.
- Or try music without lyrics to aid concentration
Having a musical “sound bath” without the distraction of words can give your mind the space to tune into your immediate surroundings. This is ideal when the office feels slightly overwhelming or you’re working to a tight deadline
Ultimately, experiment with slow and speedy tracks to find the genre that’s best for you.
PPL PRS’ new music flow chart can help employers to choose the right music to set the mood in their workspace, depending on what the team needs.
- Get out into nature
“Studies are still discovering exactly how being around wildlife helps our mental health. But in my experience as a music therapist, many people point to the calming feeling of being in nature and at one with the rhythms of the earth to help organise their thoughts.
Being outdoors engages the senses. Taking a moment to appreciate the season’s sights – from red and golden autumn leaves to bright summer sunshine – can evoke gratitude. Ambient sounds, like birdsong, may also relax you. If you run on a busy schedule, it’s natural to worry that you don’t have enough time but never underestimate the power of fresh air and a change of scene to re-charge you. Stretching your legs supercharges your physical health, too.
You could turn your stroll into a social occasion by inviting your partner, a friend or a family member. This may either take your mind of any worries or present an outlet to share how you feel with another person. Suggest a ‘walking meeting’ with a colleague if you have returned to the office or dial into a video call while outdoors; a different environment may untap new creative ideas.”
- Write down your thoughts
“This could be something more intentional, like journaling, or it could be free association scribbling onto paper until everything is out of your head. Being able to see your thoughts in front of you gives you a space to reflect on what was previously locked up in your mind. Having that new perspective can help you feel less overwhelmed.
When your employees feel safe and supported in their place of work, it may boost their morale and in turn, productivity. So, consider bolstering your mental health support options to help your employees work to their full potential. Alongside this, music can be a useful addition to the toolkit to help keep your staff happy, engaged, and motivated to bring their best to work.”
For managers, Leadership Coach for PPL PRS Debbie Green, shares these key tips to helping your team members to overcome workplace anxiety.
“Every member of your team wants to know that ‘they matter in this team’ and by creating a collaborative and connected team enables success for all.
“The environment you create for your team is important so being able to recognise great work, offer suggestions, and, provide development opportunities for people to thrive is going to be key in helping to overcome workplace anxiety.
“We always encourage managers to care and notice about their team members. Get to know about them as people. Understand what their motivations are – so what turns them off and what turns them on. Create a space for great conversations to take place so people in your team feel heard and listened too.
“All of these things can help create an environment that people want to be part of as no one wants to feel anxious about coming to work.”