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The rise of remote work has brought flexibility to employees’ daily lives: it’s now easier for them to take time out of their working day to do laundry, pick up a parcel, or attend a medical appointment. In return, it’s usually understood that workers might start work earlier or finish later, depending on their availability and wishes.
Of course, some people take advantage of the situation and take long breaks, guilt-free: 67% of respondents to a recent survey say they do their work and don’t fake activity. The problem is that their superiors remain suspicious of them, with 48% of managers convinced that some members of their team are just pretending to work.
The Workhuman agency describes this phenomenon as “fauxductivity”, or faux productivity. These falsely productive employees are masters of making it look as if they’re devoting themselves wholeheartedly to their jobs.
They show up very early in the morning – and let it be known by sending a quick “hello” to their colleagues – and pop up in group email chains, or speak up once or twice during a video meeting before discreetly turning off their camera and microphone, hoping that no one will bother them afterwards.
When they’re in the office, they like to pace noisily around, complaining to whoever will listen that they’re swamped with work.
Driven by leaders
Contrary to what you might think, this phenomenon is more prevalent among employees with responsibilities than those without. Thirty-eight percent of C-suite executives are reported to engage in fauxductivity, as are 37% of managers. In comparison, less than a third (32%) of non-managers reportedly indulge in this practice.
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“Managers and leaders are the stewards of company culture,” reads Workhuman’s analysis. “Our survey reveals that they’re faking productivity more than their non-manager counterparts, revealing that the pressure to perform might be coming from the top-down.”
Several factors explain the prevalence of fauxductivity in companies. Employees often engage in this practice to maintain a healthier work-life balance or to protect themselves from burnout. Others do it because they feel they don’t have enough work to do.
Whatever the reason, pretending to work is often far more time-consuming than actually working – and it can potentially be harmful.
Indeed, there’s a fine line between fauxductivity and disengagement: a Gallup survey found that 62% of employees worldwide report not feeling engaged in their work. In a spirit of resistance, some are resolving to take their foot off the pedal and redress the balance in their own way.
The challenge for companies is to boost employee motivation so that they are no longer tempted to pretend to be productive – but simply are.
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