What Is Impostor Syndrome Doing To Shape Modern Workplace Culture?

The colleague answering emails after midnight and checking every document three times may believe one mistake could damage their reputation at work.

New research from MyPerfectCV found that 51% of employees feel like they are “faking it” at work at least sometimes. The study found many of the workers surveyed question themselves even when they believe experience and ability earned their success.

The findings challenge old assumptions about impostor syndrome. According to the survey, 67% of workers credit their success mostly or entirely to skill, while only 4% credit it mostly or entirely to luck. Employees believe they earned their achievements, although many still feel they must perform confidence throughout the working day.

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.”

Nearly 7 out of 10 workers said they feel expected to appear more knowledgeable or more self assured than they actually feel. That expectation creates workplaces where employees hide uncertainty and avoid conversations about mistakes or learning curves.

Many employees also spend time comparing themselves with high achieving colleagues. According to the survey, comparison with peers was the biggest contributor to workplace self doubt at 32%, followed by lack of feedback at 29% and perfectionism at 28%.

What Does This Say About Modern Work Culture?

The research from MyPerfectCV says many workplaces reward performance and certainty as much as skill or experience. Employees often feel they must appear productive, calm and fully informed even when workloads and technology keep changing around them.

That expectation affects behaviour throughout the working day. According to the survey, 28% second guess their decisions, 27% work extra hours to prove themselves and 22% spend excessive time perfecting small details. Another 16% avoid speaking up or sharing ideas during discussions.

Habits like that can damage productivity over time because employees end up spending more energy managing how colleagues view them instead of doing things to shape their own growth in the workplace. Startup companies and technology businesses may experience this more often because teams usually work fast and responsibilities change frequently.

The report also found that 68% said self doubt had negatively affected their career progression. Many employees hesitate before applying for promotions or taking responsibility because they believe colleagues know more than they do.

Leadership culture also affects employee behaviour. According to the survey, 56% said leaders rarely or never speak openly about their own doubts or mistakes. Only 7% said managers discuss those experiences regularly.

Escalera said, “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.”

Employees working within that culture often learn that competence must always appear effortless and polished.

How Can Startups Help Workers Handle Self Doubt?

Startup culture often celebrates ambition and people who can work quickly but also for long working hours. Those qualities can help companies grow fast, although they can also create environments where workers constantly feel they must prove themselves worthy of their jobs.

The survey from MyPerfectCV found that more than 1 in 4 employees overwork when experiencing self doubt. Over time, employees can become cautious and unwilling to admit when they need guidance.

Regular feedback can make a huge difference for workers experiencing impostor syndrome. Employees in the survey said lack of recognition and communication contributed heavily to self doubt. Workers who only hear from managers after mistakes often assume silence means disappointment.

Startup founders and managers can also improve workplace culture through honest conversations about rejected ideas, difficult projects and skills learned over time. Employees often feel less isolated when leaders admit they struggled earlier in their careers.

The report from MyPerfectCV found that many workers already believe they are capable and qualified. Workplace culture often determines whether employees feel comfortable contributing ideas and questions, while working on growing into leadership positions.