Author: Sean D’Arcy – Chief Solutions Officer, Kahoot!
Presenting to colleagues, clients, or even friends is an integral part of life, yet for many it’s an ordeal that we feel ill-equipped to navigate. Not everyone can be a Steve Jobs or a Barack Obama, though equally, you would struggle to find someone who hasn’t experienced nerves or doubts ahead of presenting, whether it be in school or in the workplace.
UK Labour Government leader Keir Starmer has previously expressed his support for developing speaking skills at a young age, rightly stating “it’s a skill for life… not just the workplace”. However, with research repeatedly showing that professionals struggle to feel confident in their presentation skills – a trend that has accelerated now a new generation of tech-native workers have entered the workforce – more must be done to ensure team members feel confident, prepared, and engaged.
To delve deeper into their attitudes and experiences, Kahoot! surveyed 2,000 UK professionals whose jobs require them to conduct presentations, either remotely or in-person.
Our research revealed that nearly two-thirds of UK professionals struggle with presentation nerves, with 30% saying they would consider quitting their job if required to present more often. Nearly half (43%) of professionals admit that keeping the audience engaged throughout the presentation is their top pain point when they present, mirroring similar findings from our US survey.
Taking into account the feedback from UK professionals, I’ve highlighted three key ways that employers can drive more impactful workplace presentations, ensuring that employees thrive rather than dread their time in the spotlight:
1. Offer structured training in presentation skills
Nearly a third of UK professionals say they have not received adequate presentation training. 36% admit their presentations have been influenced by movie or TV depictions of presentations, rising to 69% amongst younger employees.
A lack of presentations training has led to professionals taking cues from films and movies, and this isn’t such a bad thing – but it doesn’t make up for the fundamental gap in knowledge. Companies need to bridge this gap by providing dedicated workshops, peer coaching, and access to expert-led resources that help employees build confidence and refine their delivery style. This training can also serve as an opportunity to help all employees – even seasoned presenters – to reimagine what a great presentation looks like. Plus, sharing is caring. Get your presentation experts to share their knowledge on how they best engage an audience and exude confidence.
As trainers or team leaders model best practices for engagement, collaboration, and efficiency, employees can discover that anyone can learn presentation skills.
2. Make every presentation interactive from the start
Audience engagement is the most important factor in a successful presentation, but it is also the number one challenge for presenters. The survey also shows that over a third do not enjoy attending work presentations.
The age-old method for engaging an audience is through making them a part of the experience – a trick used by stand-up comedians since the dawn of time. Instead of relying on one-way delivery pacifying the audience, companies should empower employees with tools which transform workplace presentations into two-way, interactive experiences with live polls, brainstorms, word clouds, and more. Gamified elements help to facilitate meaningful real-time participation, ensuring audiences stay engaged and helping presenters to feel more connected to their listeners – particularly since tech-native workers are increasingly entering the workplace. In fact, interactive elements can lead to spontaneous, unplanned talking points which further add to the allure of a presentation.
3. Use real-time feedback to boost confidence and improve delivery
46% of employees say they either don’t – or do not know if they receive enough feedback on their presentations.
The survey we recently conducted in the US showed that professionals who get frequent feedback on their presentations tend to be more confident presenters. Employers should foster a culture of constructive feedback and inclusion by integrating real-time audience insights. Interactive platforms allow presenters to gauge audience reactions instantly, helping them adjust their messaging on the fly and reinforcing engagement. But this feedback shouldn’t be limited to simply during the presentations. Employers should ensure that constant streams of constructive feedback is offered to employees through workshops and peer coaching – enabling the professional to see exactly where they can step up their presenting game.
Businesses should equip their teams with the right training and interactive tools, enabling them to transform presentations from a dreaded task into a powerful way to connect, communicate, and drive results. Investing in better presentation experiences doesn’t just reduce workplace anxiety – it also helps businesses unlock their teams’ full potential.
The post Reinvigorating Presentations: Tips On Engaging An Audience first appeared on HR News.
