Anxiety at Work Book Summary - Anxiety at Work Book explained in key points

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Anxiety at Work summary

Name: Anxiety at Work
Rating: 4.2 (217 reviews)
Author: Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton with Anthony Gostick

Adrian Gostick Chester Elton Anthony Gostick

8 Strategies to Help Teams Build Resilience, Handle Uncertainty, and Get Stuff Done

4.2 (217 ratings)

24 mins

Brief summary

'Anxiety at Work' by Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton with Anthony Gostick is a guide to managing anxiety in the workplace. It provides practical tips for reducing stress and improving workplace culture, allowing employees to thrive and be more productive.

Topics

Diversity & Inclusion Work Culture Stress Reduction Leadership Effectiveness Mental Health

Table of Contents

Anxiety at Work
Summary of 7 key ideas

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Key idea 1 of 7

What’s in it for me? Take stress out of the office.

In recent years, mental health has become a topic of conversation. And people are speaking out about their own mental wellness more than ever. In these blinks, you’ll learn how businesses and people managers can become part of this conversation.

Packed with simple techniques to help team leaders identify the causes and triggers of anxiety in the workplace, this is your go-to guide for understanding how the modern working world is affecting our mental health. You’ll also discover simple yet effective techniques for troubleshooting anxiety so that your employees are as stress-free as possible – and more productive as a result.

In these blinks, you’ll learn

why firefighters who eat lunch together save more lives;
why millennials are often called “generation paranoia”; and
how you can be an ally to employees from minority backgrounds.

Younger workers are feeling besieged by events beyond their control.

How do you respond to uncertainty? Like many of us, you probably feel anxious when you don’t know what the future holds. For today’s workforce, this has become a big problem because the modern workplace is full of the unknown. The key is for leaders to try and minimize uncertainty where they can – and help their employees cope when they can’t.

So what’s the cause of this uncertainty? It all comes down to job insecurity. Nearly two-thirds of American workers report being concerned about the future of their jobs. Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic has destabilized many jobs, but these fears have their roots in earlier events, too. The younger generation is still affected by the financial crisis of 2008, as well as the prospect of robots and automation taking over their roles.

The key message here is: Younger workers feel besieged by events beyond their control.

Sadly, a lot of millennial workers also feel exploited. They’ve funded their own education and qualifications, typically accruing student debt in the process. But even after doing all of this, their reward is often insecure, freelance, or contract-based work. Why? Because this is the labor arrangement that works best for the capital-owning bosses. As a result, millennials feel replaceable at any time.

This uncomfortable reality leads to predictably high anxiety levels. Some social commentators have even christened millennials as “Generation Paranoia.” Younger workers are constantly looking over their shoulders at the competition and feel forced to work harder and longer than ever before. This is the real reason why workers feel the need to be “always on” and always available.

How can leaders help to reduce their employees’ anxiety levels, and the uncertainty that drives it? Well, in many cases, they can do nothing about the uncertainty. The exciting, yet challenging reality is that, across almost every industry, disruption is happening at breakneck speed. So change and uncertainty are here to stay.

But leaders aren’t completely helpless; they can still help their teams navigate this uncertainty. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, optometrist firm FYidoctors was forced to close almost all its clinics. This threw its entire workforce into panic and disarray. But the senior leadership team was determined to be transparent about what was happening. During daily briefing sessions over Zoom, the leadership team told their staff about any new changes and issues that had occurred, and what they were planning to do about them. In time, the mood in the company changed from panic and confusion to mutual understanding, and everyone in the company felt a lot less anxious.

Some conflict is necessary for a thriving and productive team.

How comfortable are you with disagreeing with someone? Perhaps you’re comfortable putting yourself in opposition to a friend or a loved one, but when it comes to the workplace, you shy away from it. The prospect of engaging in conflict with your teammates, or your boss, might make you highly anxious. But, there’s a big difference between healthy debate and unhealthy hostility in the office.

One common complaint that managers have is that their employees are too conflict-averse. They shy away from having difficult conversations and become distressed when they’re given tough feedback. Unsurprisingly, this is a source of frustration to managers.

Leaders must have brave conversations about discrimination and systemic bias.

Not all workplace anxiety is the same, and sadly, some of us feel anxious because of who we are. We’re now talking about the psychological distress that marginalized groups may feel at work. These groups include, but aren’t limited to, ethnic minorities, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and those affected by disability.

Some leaders still refuse to believe that bias affects people at work. They think that saying otherwise is simply a case of political correctness. But the evidence is clear; some people have been historically treated differently, and have suffered as a result.

Members of effective teams feel a powerful sense of belonging.

Have you ever experienced the crushing feeling of being left out? Perhaps other people went to a party, but your invite never arrived. Often, these feelings of exclusion are associated with the schoolyard, but you can feel left out as an adult, too, even in the workplace.

Evidence suggests that, when workers feel like a cohesive group, they’re actually much more effective at their jobs. So when employees feel excluded by their teammates, it's not just a problem for the individual, but for the company as well.

Our cult of overwork is leading to burnout and lost productivity.

Your job security might be uncertain, but in the modern workplace, there’s one thing most of us can be sure of: having too much work. Bosses are placing greater demands on their employees and expecting them to do more in an ever-shrinking timeframe. But all these expectations are pushing workers over the edge.

In a 2019 survey, a shocking 91 percent of American employees reported feeling burned-out at some point during the previous year. When you’re burned-out, you feel either physically or emotionally exhausted. You might start feeling cynical about your work and the people you work with; you may feel irritable, or even start to dislike yourself for putting up with other people’s unreasonable demands.

Millennial workers fear missing out on better job opportunities.

Have you experienced FOMO; the fear of missing out? Perhaps you’ve scrolled through social media and worried that your friends all seem to be having more fun, and living a better life than you? If so then you’re not alone. Millions of young Americans are feeling exactly the same, and are feeling anxious as a result.

And it's not just fun and parties that we feel we’re going to miss out on. For younger generations in particular, it's also the big things; things like getting a good job, progressing in a career, or even getting a mortgage. What’s the cause of all this FOMO? It all comes down to job insecurity.

Perfectionist traits are becoming more prevalent among young people.

Do you have any perfectionist traits? Do you hold yourself, or others, to impossibly high standards? Are you very self-critical, or operate with an all-or-nothing mindset? If you recognize any of this in your own behavior, then you might be causing yourself unnecessary anxiety at work.

While some professions, such as being an airline pilot or a medical technician, require extreme accuracy and attention to detail, perfectionism isn’t exactly about being accurate or highly meticulous in your tasks. Actually, perfectionism is usually about seeming to be perfect. In many cases, perfectionists feel an overwhelming sense of judgment from the people around them, and constantly try to live up to what they perceive to be others’ expectations.

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What is Anxiety at Work about?

Anxiety at Work (2021) explores how the modern workplace contributes to our soaring anxiety levels. It outlines how organizations, and team leaders, can help alleviate their employees’ worries and concerns.

Anxiety at Work Review

Anxiety at Work (2019) is a book that tackles the issue of anxiety in the workplace and provides valuable insights for readers. Here's why this book is worth reading:

It offers practical strategies and tools to effectively deal with anxiety at work, helping individuals overcome challenges and achieve success.
Through real-life stories and research-backed advice, the book provides a comprehensive understanding of anxiety in the workplace and empowers readers to take control of their mental health.
With its relatable anecdotes and relaxed yet informative tone, the book manages to engage readers from start to finish, making the topic of anxiety at work anything but boring.

Who should read Anxiety at Work?

Anyone interested in organizational psychology
Stressed-out employees looking for some perspective
Managers hoping to give employee well-being a boost

About the Author

Adrian Gostick is a British author who specializes in organizational psychology. He’s also the founder of the Utah-based consulting firm The Culture Works.

Chester Elton is a Canadian author and management strategist. He specializes in boosting employee motivation. They’re also the authors of several other titles, including the New York Times best sellers The Carrot Principle, All In, and Leading with Gratitude.

Categories with Anxiety at Work

Psychology Productivity Career & Success

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