In today’s demanding work environment, the concept of ‘pretend productivity’ is gaining attention.
- Over one-third of UK workers admit to engaging in pretend productivity due to unrealistic expectations.
- The pressure to always be available is a driving force behind this trend, affecting well-being.
- Strict time-tracking systems may unintentionally promote rather than reduce pretend productivity.
- Building a high-trust culture with meaningful recognition is key to reducing fake activity.
The modern work landscape is increasingly characterised by an ‘always-on’ culture, putting significant pressure on employees to appear constantly productive. This has sparked a worrying trend of ‘pretend productivity,’ where over 36% of UK workers admit to faking work activities. The primary motivation behind this behaviour is the pursuit of a healthier work-life balance, coupled with the need to meet high expectations without burning out.
The expectation for employees to respond immediately to messages outside of traditional working hours contributes to this phenomenon. In fact, when workers strongly feel this pressure, fake productivity rates soar to 51%. This demand for constant availability intensifies stress, further underpinning the pretend productivity trend.
While most managers (82%) believe knowing exact working hours is essential for measuring productivity, this approach may backfire. Employees under stringent time-tracking are more prone to fake activities compared to those with more relaxed monitoring, where only 25% engage in such behaviours. This suggests that strict systems might inadvertently encourage deceit rather than curtailing it.
The underlying assumption that productivity equates to the volume of work completed is misguided, as evidenced by the 66% of organisations that adopt this view. Engaged workers, who find genuine interest and commitment in their roles, naturally exhibit higher productivity without resorting to fakery. Recognition, when executed effectively, enhances engagement, which in turn boosts real productivity.
Niamh Graham, Senior Vice President of Global Human Experience at Workhuman, states, “It’s important to recognise that most workers aren’t faking activity. Yet, a substantial number are feeling compelled to do so. Our latest research reveals deeper issues that organisations should be mindful of, such as the impact of workplace expectations and ‘always on’ culture on productivity and burnout.”
The findings underscore the need for workplaces to cultivate environments of trust and authentic engagement to mitigate pretend productivity.
