More than half of employees say they feel like they are “faking it” at work despite believing their success comes from their own abilities, according to new research.
A survey of more than 1,000 employed professionals, carried out by online CV builder MyPerfectCV, found that 51% of employees experience impostor syndrome at work “at least sometimes”. The findings point to growing pressure on workers to appear more confident, productive and knowledgeable than they genuinely feel.
The research also highlights a gap between employee confidence in their skills and the workplace environments they operate in. Many workers said self-doubt is being driven by high expectations, peer comparison and limited feedback rather than a lack of ability.
At the same time, leadership culture appears to play a role in reinforcing these feelings, with many employees saying managers rarely discuss their own struggles or mistakes openly.
Workplace Pressure Linked to Rising Impostor Syndrome
The findings show that feelings of impostor syndrome are widespread across the workforce. Around 5% of employees said they always feel like they are faking it at work, while 18% said they often feel this way and 28% said they sometimes experience it.
Despite this, most workers still attribute their achievements to skill rather than luck. Around 19% said their success was entirely due to skill, while 48% said it was mostly due to skill. Only 4% credited their success mostly or entirely to luck.
Pressure to appear confident also remains high in many workplaces. Around 40% of employees said they always or often feel pressure to appear more knowledgeable or capable than they feel, while 29% said they experience this pressure sometimes.
Employees identified several workplace factors contributing to self-doubt. Around 32% said comparing themselves to high-achieving peers was a major cause, while 29% pointed to a lack of feedback or recognition. Personal perfectionism was cited by 28%, rapidly changing technology or job demands by 24% and high expectations from management by 22%.
Jasmine Escalera, career expert at MyPerfectCV, said,“Impostor syndrome isn’t a lack of ability; it’s often a response to workplace environments that reward certainty and visibility over learning and honesty. When leaders don’t acknowledge their own mistakes or growth moments, it can reinforce the idea that confidence is mandatory and doubt should stay hidden.”
Self-Doubt Affecting Career Progression and Wellbeing
The research suggests that impostor syndrome is influencing both career development and day-to-day wellbeing at work. Around 68% of employees said self-doubt had negatively affected their career progression. Nearly half of workers said impostor feelings had significantly or moderately affected career decisions, while 24% reported a minor impact.
Employees also described behavioural changes linked to self-doubt. Around 28% said they second-guess their decisions, while 27% reported working extra hours to prove themselves. Others said they seek reassurance from colleagues or managers, focus heavily on perfectionism or avoid speaking up and taking on responsibility.
The findings indicate that leadership culture may be contributing to the issue. More than half of employees, 56%, said leaders rarely or never talk openly about their own doubts or mistakes. Around 37% said these conversations happen only occasionally, while just 7% said leaders discuss these issues regularly.