Asking for help at work shouldn’t be a difficult thing to do. For many people, it feels weird, scary or just not possible. Whether you need help with your workload or are not sure about something, it can be hard to ask.
To make workplaces healthier places, we need to understand why people don’t ask for help. A lot of the time, it isn’t down to people being incapable of asking for help; it’s down to the stigma surrounding it.
The Fear of Being Seen as Incompetent
One big reason people do not ask for help is that they are afraid of what others will think. They worry that if they ask for help, people will think they are not capable, or that they’re showing a weakness.
This can make people feel like they are pretending to be something they’re not, which can bring in feelings of imposter syndrome.
Workplace Culture & Self-Reliance
If a workplace values people who work long hours and do everything on their own, it can feel like asking for help is not allowed.
If other people in the workplace do not ask questions or admit when they are wrong, it can make others feel like they should not ask for help either.
Previous Negative Experiences
For some people, if they have asked for help before and were ignored, they are less likely to ask again in the future. This can make people distrustful, usually staying quiet when they’re struggling.
Lack of Psychological Safety
Psychological safety refers to feeling able to speak up without fear of embarrassment. Not everyone knows how to ask for help.
Unclear Support Pathways
If it is not clear how to get help when they need it, people will just try to do everything on their own. This is especially true when it comes to conversations around health, both physical and mental.
Who should they speak to? What issues are appropriate to raise? Will it stay confidential?
How Employers Can Make Asking for Help Easier
Organisations can reduce these barriers by:
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Modelling vulnerability at leadership level – when leaders ask for help, others follow
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Building psychological safety through open dialogue and non-punitive responses
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Clearly signposting support and normalising its use
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Training managers to spot early signs of struggle and respond effectively
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Embedding wellbeing into everyday practice, not just policies
At TBHG, we help workplaces make it easier for people to ask for help. We help them put people first and help them before things get bad. Get in contact with us today to get started.
