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With a growth mindset, employees view challenges as opportunities to learn and develop new skills, leading to greater employee engagement as they embrace struggles and remain motivated to improve. Many are aware that a growth mindset is advantageous, especially for following through on daily tasks. A growth mindset is a set of beliefs where we view our capabilities as ever-changing.

These ideas encourage us to see our potential as something to be developed incrementally, through daily effort. In contrast to this empowering approach, some employees may have more of a fixed mindset, viewing their abilities as innate and less susceptible to change. “I’m terrible at this and I’ve always been bad at it,” reflects a fixed mindset, while the same low self-appraisal with a growth mindset produces thoughts like, “I’m not yet good at that skill but I can work on it.”

A fixed mindset can be a challenge at work. It is a belief system at odds with innovation and creative pursuits. These individuals may apply effort to support their self-esteem and maintain superiority but are not as likely to put in the effort for tasks where groups get the credit. It is not just individual performance that may suffer, because a fixed mindset can also weaken team dynamics through low employee engagement. As Peter Drucker mentions, each company ecosystem benefits from teamwork, because innovation is a team sport. Therefore it’s helpful to know how to best support a shift toward a growth mindset. This can significantly improve organizational performance through subtle changes to daily decision-making. Most importantly, the research also shows that we can influence the amount of fixed growth mindsets at work through support and messaging. 

Reduce self-sabotage to increase employee engagement: 

Every day, we make decisions that keep us on track or lead us off course. Embracing the belief that change is possible and reminders that our abilities can grow reduces our likelihood of self-sabotage. A 2024 study delves into this concept, exploring our tendency to self-handicap by choosing conditions that make it harder to focus on our most important tasks. Over time, this hinders task completion and goal attainment. But what does self-handicapping involve? 

Self-handicapping in the workplace:

Self-handicapping is a way to protect ourselves from the discomfort of challenging situations. As the name implies, it can slow our ability to achieve objectives in the workplace. Common forms of self-handicapping include:

• Procrastination: Delaying important tasks until the last minute. This can create an excuse for failure if the task is not completed well, as you may feel the lack of time, and not lack of ability, are the reasons for sub-par performance. 

• Avoidance: Avoiding challenging or unfamiliar tasks or situations to prevent potential failure or criticism. Sure, the on-site networking event is a bit anxiety-provoking, but if your goal this year is to meet industry leaders, skipping the event is detrimental to your professional progress.

• Underachievement: Deliberately performing below, one’s capabilities. This can be a form of self-handicapping when employees are reluctant to do their best work or when they are hesitant to commit fully to group projects. It also may occur when employees fear rising expectations and responsibilities should they stand out among their peers.  

• Substance abuse: Using a substance to cope with the stress or anxiety of work can be part of self-handicapping behavior. This desire to escape uncomfortable thoughts can provide a self-fulfilling excuse for underperformance. For instance, an employee uses work stress to justify their desire to drink, yet the resulting hangovers worsen their daily experience at work. 

Mindset support for better workplace dynamics:

Experimental studies now show that the kinds of information we encounter can sway our mindset beliefs. For instance, a 2024 study used posters and verbal messages framed in a way that supported either a fixed or growth mindset. Then the study assessed the self-handicapping tendencies of all participants. The result was that those with a more fixed mindset benefitted significantly from growth mindset messages, showing a drop in their tendency to self-handicap by making poor decisions. The manipulation had less effect on self-handicapping in individuals with strong growth mindsets because they were already doing less self-handicapping. This shows that our beliefs about what we do everyday matter, and it’s to our advantage (and the company’s) when we embrace the idea that improvement is always possible. 

Helping employees strive with growth mindset training and increase employee engagement:

One of the most important ways Treo supports members is by helping them identify where they’d like to adjust their daily habits. Within the platform, growth mindset skills are subtly reinforced through specific phrasing, messaging, and gamification elements. These combine for an experienced that helps members realize their potential for feeling better through evidence-based resilience strategies. Through growth mindset training and support, employees can develop the resilience and adaptability needed to navigate challenges and achieve their goals in the workplace.

Interested in learning more? Let’s get in touch to find out how you can support your team with the most customizable solution for whole-person wellbeing.