Silence, Anxiety, and Young Staff

Young people who are quiet in the workplace are often misunderstood.Managers may assume they lack initiative, confidence, communication skills, or interest in the role. But in many cases, quietness is actually a sign of overwhelm, anxiety, uncertainty, or fear of getting something wrong.In this episode of Not Work Ready, I unpack why young staff sometimes go quiet at work, what workplaces often misunderstand about this behaviour, and how clearer support structures can help young people settle, speak up, and build confidence over time.I also introduce some basic trauma-informed approaches workplaces can use to reduce unnecessary anxiety and confusion for young staff. This includes simple but powerful things like creating predictability, explaining expectations clearly, introducing staff properly to the team, pairing them with supportive colleagues, and helping them understand what to expect throughout the day.The episode finishes by exploring how mentoring can create a safe relationship within the workplace — helping young people ask questions earlier, process feedback more confidently, and feel supported before issues escalate into disengagement or resignation.In this episode:Why quietness is often misunderstood in workplacesThe link between silence, overwhelm, and anxietyWhy many young staff avoid asking questionsWhat workplaces unintentionally do that increases stressSimple trauma-informed practices that reduce uncertaintyThe importance of clarity, predictability, and connectionHow mentoring helps young staff feel safer and more confidentWhy support often needs to come before initiativeRelated articleRead the companion article here:Quiet Young staff arent always doing finehttps://open.substack.com/pub/confidenceinmentoring/p/quiet-young-staff-arent-always-doing?r=6ca2x8&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=webConnectWebsite:https://confidenceinmentoring.com.auLinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit confidenceinmentoring.substack.com