Only a truly shy person can know how it feels to suffer from crippling social anxiety, of wanting to talk, wanting to contribute to a group discussion around the collaborative office furniture, but not being able to get the words to come out of your mouth. Shyness isn’t just something you can click your fingers and get rid of, but it can be overcome with a little encouragement from the right people.
If you think you might have a shy employee or two in your office, check out this infographic, which gives some useful information on how to spot a shy person.
Source: www.quill.com/blog/workplace-culture/how-to-overcome-workplace-shyness.html
Now, shyness isn’t the same as being introverted. The introverted personality type is someone who is happy to spend time alone, someone who is quite within their own mind, and sitting at their office desk. An introvert may be shy, but it doesn’t necessarily work hand in hand.
If you have a shy employee, it’s important to encourage them, but not push them beyond their limitations. Gentle encouragement is the way forward, but also setting them challenges, which will stretch them and help them test the boundaries they have placed upon themselves. Think about changing your office desking system and placing this person next to someone who is a little more extroverted, someone who may help to ‘draw them out of their shell’. You could also directly ask them for their view on a subject whilst in a team meeting, and give them encouraging smiles to help them feel at ease enough to talk.
Having one on one discussions with your employee is also useful, giving them praise for jobs well done and encouraging them to go a step further. A ‘baby steps’ route will help this person overcome their shyness in time, but understanding shyness in general is the first step.