The study, which surveyed 2,000 British professionals, found that professionals aged 55-64 were the least confident about their job prospects, with only four in 10 (42.9%) feeling confident in the future of their career. This is followed by just 43.2% of 45-54-year olds and 48.9% of 35-44-year olds.
It’s not just career progression where Brits lack confidence. In fact, the survey also found that a lack of confidence has held back Brits from achieving the following:
- Applying for a job (52%)
- Asking for a pay rise (46.6%)
- Asking for a promotion (33.2%)
- Building relationships out of the workplace (27.7%)
- Building relationships in the workplace (22.2%)
Lee Biggins, founder and CEO of CV-Library, comments: “Confidence is such an important asset in all areas of life, but particularly so in the workplace. After all, when employees feel there is no direction to their careers or don’t have clear goals to work towards, it can stifle productivity, diminish job satisfaction and ultimately, impact your bottom line as you struggle to retain experienced members of staff.”
The survey went on to ask whether Brits felt confident enough to ask for a pay rise, with over half (51%) of respondents stating they didn’t feel comfortable doing so. Additionally, the study found that asking for a pay rise would be most worrying for 73.5% of under 18s, 56.5% of 18-24-year olds and 53.9% of 25-34-year olds.
Biggins continues: “Seeing as work is such a huge part of people’s lives, it’s imperative that businesses find a way to address these issues. Perhaps start by formalising a mandatory annual or quarterly review process - this can open the lines of communication about employee career progression and get the ball rolling for bigger conversations such as a promotion or pay rise.
“Alongside this, ensure that you mention career progression opportunities in your job adverts, as this can certainly help to attract more applicants to your roles. Either way, with the UK in career confidence crisis, employers need to make changes in order to stay ahead.”
