Conquering Call Anxiety: Empowering Apprentices to Overcome Phone Phobia

Young people spend hours on their smart phones but how often do they use them to actually make or take a call? 

A Uswitch survey of 2,000 people found that 23% of 18-34-year-olds never answer their phone and nearly 61% in that age range would much rather text.  

Given that so much 'life admin,' from ordering a takeaway meal to booking gig tickets, can be done online these days, it's unsurprising that this generation are unfamiliar and often uncomfortable with phone calls. 

Digital natives are inherently internet savvy so having them on your team greatly benefits your business or organisation. As we know at OneFile, Gen Zer's are a whizz at remote learning and they're more than happy to communicate via emails, text and social media platforms such as Instagram and WhatsApp.  

That said, there are times when using a phone to talk is still relevant. Some recruiters interview prospective candidates this way and in business you may need to speak to clients, customers, suppliers and contacts over the telephone.  

So, what do you do if you employ apprentices or other younger staff who are reluctant to make or answer phone calls? 

• First, acknowledge that as someone from an older generation, your experience of using the phone is quite different from theirs. When you were growing up, households still had landlines and, early mobiles were 'dumb' phones, mainly used to hold conversations. Using the telephone to talk - especially formally - is not something Gen Zer's have ever had to do. 

• Consider following Nottingham College's lead by running coaching sessions to build confidence and teach phone etiquette. The college featured in the media recently for helping its FE students tackle their phone phobia through classroom-based training. 

• Use role play as part of coaching. Your learners might feel less anxious if they have a script to follow. 

• Remember that it's normal for people in their first job to feel apprehensive. Many older people admit that even they didn't like making phone calls in front of colleagues when they first started work. If your apprentice is nervous, find a quieter place for them to make or take a client call. 

As an employer you play a big part in helping to shape your apprentice's working life and career ambitions. By providing 'real life' experiences such as showing them how to use the phone to speak to customers, you will help them grow in both their job and confidence.