LinkedIn reveals the top five ‘workplace scaries' ahead of Halloween

With the spookiest time of the year fast approaching, new research from LinkedIn reveals the top five ‘workplace scaries’ that send chills down employees’ spines.

But there's nothing to fear as there are also tips on how to combat them from LinkedIn’s resident career expert.

The top bone-chilling frights professionals reported varied from the ‘nightmare notification’ (receiving a message from a manager asking for a chat with no context (24 per cent)) to the ‘petrifying presentation’ (being asked to give a last-minute presentation without any preparation time (22 per cent)).

At some point in our professional careers, we've all had the dreaded workplace scaries, and a recent online LinkedIn poll shows this, out of 2,800 people found that 30 per cent of people get the scaries once a day or more, which can have a devilish impact on our spirits.

Everyone deals with them differently. But with nearly 1 in 5 of professionals saying they simply ignore them, it’s clear that solving the workplace scaries isn’t easy for everyone.

LinkedIn Career Expert, Charlotte Davies, reveals employees’ top 5 scaries and how to banish them:

The nightmare notification: The ominous ‘can we chat’ message from your manager, with no other context.

Charlotte’s trick to treat it: “A manager asking for a private chat without context can spook even the best of us.

"For a lot of people, hearing those words launches a tailspin of panic as they try to figure out what they’ve done wrong or brace for frightful news.

"Take a step back and remind yourself what you know about your manager. Is this usual behaviour? Have there been previous times when they’ve asked to chat and it’s been a straightforward catch up?

"If you’ve been burned by a previous manager, remember not all bosses are the same. Most are more treats than tricks!

The petrifying presentation: Being asked to give a last-minute presentation

Charlotte’s trick to treat it: “Last minute requests are a common anxiety inducer for a lot of us, especially when they involve public speaking.

"Those who are comfortable speaking in front of groups will tell you there’s no witchcraft to a spellbinding delivery, just regular practice.

"Online resources such as the free LinkedIn Learning course Tips to Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking can also help.

"You might be thinking this is just a bunch of ‘hocus pocus’, but overcoming your public speaking demons is a real strength and will serve you well in your career.”

Ghostly gossip: Accidentally sending a private message meant for a work bestie in the team chat

Charlotte’s trick to treat it: “We’ve all been there. You quickly drafted a private message to your workmate, and you accidentally sent it to the wrong chat.

"No matter how embarrassed you are about the situation, there’s no magic spell that’s going to undo it.

"Stay calm, acknowledge the mistake, and apologise if needed. Depending on the scariness of the communication mishap, try to think of it as a way to learn in the future. Have a cackle and move on!”

Terrifying tasks: Taking on work that isn’t part of your role

Charlotte’s trick to treat it: “On occasion, we’re all asked to do tasks outside of our job description and it can be an opportunity to get out from under your colleagues’ shadow.

"However, if consistently being asked to take on more responsibilities leaves you feeling more like a zombie than a boss witch, it might be time to have a chat with your manager.

"‘No’ can be the magic word and you can find some helpful sorcery in free LinkedIn Learning courses, including How to Advocate for Yourself in Your Career."

The macabre mistake: Making an error at work, and owning up to it

Charlotte’s trick to treat it: “While owning up to our mistakes is never easy, it’s the curse of growing and becoming better at our jobs.

"The initial horror-stricken moments of realising your error are often the most chilling - try to stay calm, assess the situation and tell yourself it’s not the end of the world.

"Not being spooked and owning up allows you to take control of the situation before it spirals into a much scarier story.

"By being proactive about addressing the issue, you present yourself as someone capable of handling ghoulish situations.”

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