It's generally believed that confidence comes naturally to some people or that it's something that people unintentionally lack. This is not quite the case though. Confidence can be upgraded and worked on if the right efforts are put into it. Feeling good about yourself and beautiful in your own skin depends on many factors, most of which have a lot to do with your own perception and your mindset. 

Feeling confident in the workplace is deeply connected to our character and the overall self-assurance we possess. It's also quite connected to several factors such as:

• our professional experience and how good we are at what we do

• the overall working environment 

• the people we work with and their attitudes

When it comes to the confidence of the employees and making them better and more productive, it's rarely just the effort of the individual that can make the change. For employees to improve their confidence, they need support and a little nudge from the HR teams, their managers, and their colleagues. It's a team effort, to say the least. 

A good manager in collaboration with the HR team can create a world of difference in the way employees feel at work, their motivation, and with that their confidence in their performances. With the right strategies and tools the not-so-confident employees can become inspired and rise to the occasion without even noticing that they've come out of their shells. On the other hand, if the leadership and HR of the company steer employees in the wrong direction, even the more confident ones can get lost and will withdraw from what they do best. 

So for all of you who are interested in making your company a better and safer environment for your employees, we've put up a list of some of the most effective strategies for building confidence among employees.

4 Strategies for Building Confidence in the Workplace

Self-confident employees are good for the company for several reasons:

• They are more engaged and productive

• They motivate others

• They're more assertive and make better decisions

• They want to upgrade themselves work for the development of the company

Confidence is having positive feelings about yourself, your skills, and your knowledge and communicating them through your demeanor and manners.

So how do you achieve this at the workplace?

1. Introduce an employee award system 

Introducing awards for employees isn't news in the HR world, but it still remains one of the best incentives and confidence boosters. There is no better feeling in the world than when your work gets recognized and appreciated, regardless of your profession and status. It's even better when the awards are goal-driven and more specific so employees know exactly what they need to do to deserve them. This will further motivate others to be more engaged.

It's always a good idea to establish some sort of formal award title which the employees will be familiar with. And of course, they will know what that award entails exactly. Some more popular ideas would be:

• Employee of the Month

• Customer Service Award

• Best Advice Giver

• Best Team Player

• Most Improved Performer

These are just some initial ideas that can be tailored to reflect the work of your team. For best results, awards follow a certain timeline and are given for a certain period of time, whether that is monthly, quarterly, or annually. 

2. Start using HR management tools 

It may not sound like a piece of software can improve employees' confidence, but incorporating some of the best tools for HR can definitely have a positive influence on the overall working environment. Technology, with all of its latest developments, has forever changed the way we do most professions. HR is not an exception. There are plenty of tools, platforms, and software specially designed to ease this very complex profession that requires a variety of skills. 

Here are some of the most important benefits of using HRM tools that indirectly influence employees' experience and confidence.

• Automate a complex set of activities that are most of the time repetitive and mundane, thus saving the HR team a lot of time and energy that can be put to better use and can be spent on working with employees directly.

• More transparent management of time-offs, benefits, payrolls, etc leads to more satisfied employees.

• Reduce the chances for errors and therefore decrease dissatisfaction among employees.

• Increase employees' morale and enthusiasm. Some software works directly on enhancing employee experience by measuring sentiment using pulse surveys. They also include apps for peer communication and feedback. 

• Ease and improve the onboarding and retention of employees. The hiring process can be very time-consuming and exhausting. HR tools automate a large part of the process, leaving the professionals to deal with the truly top-priority candidates. The software usually measures employee performance which helps with keeping people happy and prevents high employee turnover.

It's pretty clear how all of these benefits would provide a better working environment and working experience. Needless to say, confidence and morality will definitely be on the increase when HR tasks are managed in this way.

3. Introduce a parking management system

Something as simple as introducing an online parking system can drastically improve the quality of the working environment. Although it may not sound like something directly related to boosting employees' confidence, indirectly it has a great influence.

We've all been there, trying to move through the rush hour and get to work on time, and when you're finally there you spend 10 minutes looking for a parking spot and another 10 walking the distance because the only free parking space you found was far away. This adds a lot to how people's day starts and the energy and mindset they bring when they walk into the office. And when the problem is persistent and is something that happens every morning then the overall atmosphere changes for the worse very quickly.

Introducing an online parking system has several benefits that influence employees' confidence for the better:

• Reduces stress and anxiety

By simply reserving a parking space online employees can feel at ease as they arrive to work knowing exactly which space is theirs. This alleviates anxiety and stress levels and allows people to start their day in a more organized manner. Confidence comes naturally once you don't have to waste your energy on mundane things like parking.

• Saves time

Once their parking space is guaranteed employees can make sure they arrive to work on time or even early. Demonstrating punctuality and reliability can help them boost their confidence from the very beginning of the day.

• Improves productivity and engagement

Once their day starts on a positive note it's easier to get everyone more involved. Saving time, energy and reducing stress all contribute to more productive employees. In turn, this produces more confident professionals who feel happier at work and more accomplished in their roles.

4. Establish a feedback culture

Introducing and developing a culture of feedback is a wonderful way to increase employee productivity and with that boost their confidence. If done right giving and receiving feedback can have a positive impact even when there is negative feedback involved.

What does this mean? Employees must be trained on how to give and receive feedback. This is not something that should be taken for granted as a skill. Once they know how to give feedback to their colleagues or even authorities, it makes it much easier for them to even try. Being in a position to give feedback can create miracles for a person's confidence a work.

It's also pretty self-explanatory how receiving positive feedback increases one's self-confidence. Regardless of how long you've been doing your job, or how good you're at it, it's always great to hear nice words which make you want to try even harder. 

On the other hand, if done right negative feedback can also have a positive impact on employees. It should always be focused on where the person is currently and what can be done for the person to improve. So if an employee receives particular directions and a plan on how to proceed in order to get better, it leaves them feeling more confident in taking the next steps. 

Over to you

We hope that the strategies we've put together will help you better understand how to start changing things up for the better and how to start noticing and improving confidence in your employees. 

Nothing can be done overnight but the mere fact that you're researching this topic and willing to make your contribution to the improvement process for each individual, says a lot about you and your company.