Research reveals the hidden confidence crisis undermining workforce performance
58 per cent of employees admit to “skill masking,” highlighting a major opportunity for confidential, AI-powered upskilling tools
A new study by Attensi, a global leading provider of game-based solutions for skills and people development, has revealed a widespread but under-acknowledged workforce challenge: skill masking — the act of employees hiding skill gaps to appear more competent. The findings suggest that companies may be overlooking a quiet, internal struggle with confidence among workforces that begins during the onboarding process and continues through the employee lifecycle.
According to the study of 2,000 employees across industries and age groups, a majority (58 per cent) say they’ve engaged in skill masking at some point in their current role. Nearly half (46 per cent) admit to pretending to understand tasks they don’t, and 40 per cent actively avoid asking for help, even when unsure how to proceed.
This phenomenon, rooted in what the study terms skill-set anxiety, is especially pronounced among younger workers. Over half of employees aged 18-44 report frequent worries about being underqualified, and 29 per cent say this anxiety strongly reflects their experience on the job. Importantly, these feelings take root early: the most common reported consequence of poor onboarding isn’t churn or performance — but diminished confidence (55 per cent).
Yet the report offers hope. Despite the stigma, most employees (58 per cent) say they would feel comfortable admitting skill gaps to a manager. Even more strikingly, two-thirds (67 per cent) express willingness to use confidential, AI-powered role-play tools to practice and strengthen job-critical skills privately.
The full findings offer organisations rich insight into how confidence, safety, and digital tools intersect to shape onboarding and upskilling outcomes.
Trond Aas, CEO of Attensi said: “Skill masking is what happens when people don’t feel safe learning in front of others. They hide uncertainty, perform surface competence, and miss the chance to truly master their roles.
“The data shows a clear mismatch between how organisations evaluate onboarding and what employees actually experience. Too often, success is measured by checklists, not confidence. And when employees don’t feel safe to share weaknesses, they mask their gaps rather than close them. This also creates a lot of bad data for employers who are trying to benchmark skills and implement training programs to improve employee confidence and performance.
“The good news is that technology is catching up to human psychology. AI-powered simulations now allow people to rehearse tough conversations, practice decision-making, and close real skill gaps without fear of embarrassment. For organisations serious about performance, the key is creating environments where people can safely stop pretending and start progressing.”
Whitepaper | Onboarding | State of play 2025 | Attensi
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