Anxiety in the workplace or work-related anxiety is a common point of concern for many. It can harm employee confidence, overall performance and eventually the company bottom line. That’s why managers and employers need to do what they can to alleviate causes of this anxiety.

Workplace anxiety isn’t always a constant, either. It often creeps up on the best of us in certain situations, such as important meetings, conference calls, approaching deadlines, performance reviews and more.

Some of these situations are easier than others to address when it comes to anxiety. One of the most challenging of these is, perhaps, the conference call. There undeniably is something nerve wracking about speaking over the phone when you are not able to read the room for cues or reactions like you would be able to during an in-person meeting.

However, there’s no reason you can’t overcome that anxiety. These following tips and pointers will certainly help you feel more comfortable speaking up and making your voice heard during conference calls.

Workplace anxiety is common

Don’t worry if you are one of the many who suffer from workplace anxiety. Once referred to in Forbes as an epidemic, workplace anxiety comes in many forms – but all of them can be managed.

It should come as no surprise that conference calls, as well as other types of meetings, are on the list of common anxiety causes. As Forbes has reported, speaking in public, making a presentation, keeping up with technology, asking questions and giving feedback are all some of the most frequent reasons for anxiety for employees at work. All of these reasons come into play during conference calls.

Of course, work-related nerves and anxiousness are part of a spectrum. Certain people may only feel that feeling of butterflies in the stomach, while others may find the experience much more crippling. No matter where you find yourself on this spectrum, these pointers for overcoming that anxiety while speaking on conference calls are sure to help.

Plan ahead to calm the nerves

Being nervous about an upcoming conference call is normal. Nearly everyone will have to confront that feeling from time to time. One of the best ways to preemptively combat this feeling, though, is to plan ahead. Planning ahead is the key to success in any type of meeting, over the phone, virtual or in-person.

For people managing the conference call, you need to have a road map, so to speak, of what you wish to accomplish during the meeting. Have goals in mind, know what information you need to relay, know exactly who and who does not need to be invited on the call and have a plan for how to wrap up the conversation in a timely manner. You should incorporate an agenda to help you lay out the call’s road map.

If you are a participant in the call and not a host, you can do several things to alleviate anxiety:

• Ask to prepare for the call in advance with a colleague or manager.
• Practice the talking points that you may be asked to cover.
• Think ahead to anticipate questions.
• Dress as though you are meeting in person.

Understand how to use conferencing technology

One of the most common fears cited by people who are required to participate in audio conferencing and other types of virtual meetings is how to operate the technology needed to join the call.

Hopefully, your team has chosen a conferencing service that is easy to use in the first place. From there, review any call-in instructions well in advance of the call. If you are uncertain, then reach out to someone who can help.

Always call in ahead of time just in case any last-minute troubleshooting needs to happen. Double-check that your phone is not muted and that you can hear everyone clearly.

Find a suitable place to call in

Distractions only add to anxiety. For the best conference call experience, you need to find a good location to call in from that is not noisey and has few sources of other potential interruptions.

Find a place with low foot traffic and low ambient noise. You may even want to find noise canceling headphones to block sound even more. More importantly, though, make the space as comfortable as possible so you aren’t constantly shifting.

Try to speak up early during the call

Dreading having to say something during the call but know you have something worth saying? Then say it as soon as appropriate during the call.

The more you wait, the more your nerves could get to you. Don’t let that kind of pressure build up – speak early.

Once you have said your piece, then you can relax. Plus, you won’t have to kick yourself later when somebody else beats you to that great point that would have impressed colleagues and bosses.

When you do talk, make your time count

Nervousness and anxiety can have strange effects on people. A frequent side effect of anxiety, particularly in situations where people are asked to speak, is actually speaking too much.

If you want people to pay more attention when you speak, then avoid talking too much. Being longwinded can cause others on the line to let themselves become distracted or tune you out completely. It is often the case that less is more when speaking on a conference call.

Choose your words wisely. Be clear and concise and then open up the conversation to others.

Practice makes perfect

You know what they say: Practice makes perfect. This is true for conferencing, as well. Over time, you will get better at speaking when called upon or when leading conference calls.

Simply remind yourself that there are many others who dread conference calls just as much – if not more – than you do.

Start a better free conference call

No matter how comfortable you are while speaking during conference calls, don’t settle for a conferencing service that doesn’t deliver. Even free conferencing services should offer exceptional reliability of service and include features that create an overall enjoyable and easy-to-use experience.

That’s what our users get with Conference Town – a better, completely free conference call experience. Sign up today or start an instant conference call right now to see why Conference Town offers a better experience.