Lawyer Monthly - Women In Law Special Edition

FOUR WAYS TO BEAT AT WORK The overwhelming feeling of crippling self-doubt and dread known as Imposter Syndrome has impacted a whopping 62% of people at work, according to a report by Access Commercial Finance. The survey of over 3000 adults in the UK shows over two-thirds of women (66%) have suffered from imposter syndrome compared to over half of men (56%) within the last 12 months. This raises a significant question: are women more likely to experience feeling inadequate in the workplace? In light of the study, Lucinda Pullinger, Global Head of HR at Instant Offices delves into why many women experience this adverse phenomenon, which UK industries have the highest ratio of self-doubters and how business owners can beat imposter syndrome at work. Over the last 20 years, the number of women-owned firms has increased, yet despite the growing number of female entrepreneurs and major global progress towards gender equality in the workplace, more and more successful women are speaking out about the burden of imposter syndrome. Despite evidence of success, women experiencing this paralysing self-doubt are more likely to believe they are intellectual frauds. This level of stress – waiting to be found out by peers – can lead to anxiety, burnout and increased unhappiness among everyone from entrepreneurs to employees moving up the ladder. As research suggests, men suffer 10% less than women, and when considering why women sometimes experience imposter syndrome at a higher rate than men, factors like workplace inequality and the pay gap may come into play. Statistics from YouGov reveal that, when asked whether they have had the opportunity to lead on a project at work, only 44% of women said yes, compared to 59% of men. Women are also less likely to have experienced a pay rise or a bonus not connected to promotion, at only 40% compared to 53% of men. In addition, women say they are also more likely to be asked about their personal lives compared to men. IMPOSTER SYNDROME LAWYER MONTHLY WOMEN IN LAW EDITION 74 What Causes Imposter Syndrome at Work? Imposter syndrome can severely impact career progression and cause negativity at work. When surveyed on the reasons for ex- periencing crippling self-doubt in the work- place, these were the top four causes: 38% Self-generated self-doubt 23% Being criticised 20% Having to ask for help 16% Self-comparisons to high achieving colleagues It’s not just employees who are impacted. A study by AXA PPP Healthcare shows one in five small business owners admitted to suf- fering from imposter syndrome and being convinced someone else could do a better job of running their business.