Fake it till you make it? This workplace trend where you appear ‘busy’ can actually backfire

It’s 5 pm. Employees are at their desks, typing away email after email. Sometime later, a few of them walk over to the meeting rooms for video calls or telephonic conversations; others stay back and stare hard at their screens. 

This is a typical scene in many offices, which gives an impression of ‘busyness’ as employees try to look more productive than they are. Well, it’s more of a façade, in most cases, and it has a name—fauxductivity. 

For Manali Mehta*, a marketing manager at a Mumbai-based multinational, pretending to appear super busy comes naturally to her now. Not that she likes it, but she is under immense pressure to show her bosses that a lot of work is being done. 

“While hybrid and remote work had made life simpler in the last few years, the return to office full-time has turned things around. I am a firm believer that work must be done but bosses want us to clock a certain number of hours even when it means wasting your time doing nothing,” says Mehta. 

“In that case, do we really have an option?” she asks. 

This isn't limited to physical workspaces. 

Piyali Sinha*, a content executive at an advertising agency in Kolkata, points out that the situation is just as bad for those who work remotely. 

At her workplace, managers are constantly worried if employees are working or not. To counter this concern, they have established certain ground rules, including not logging out until 8 pm. Besides, they keep an eye on team members through online workplace tools such as Slack and Tempo. 

“It's almost bizarre that I have to stay online even when my tasks are done. I have to keep my status active on Slack and clock my hours for each task on a time-tracking app like Tempo. It's worse than your boss micromanaging you in person; something like this seems so intrusive,” rues Sinha. 

Beneath the surface 

In an age where quality trumps quantity, why is a workplace trend like this flourishing? 

Asha Parikh, a former organisational behaviour professor from Mumbai, explains, “While workplace dynamics have changed in a big way in the last few years, there continue to be several companies where ‘busyness’ is the only way to measure productivity. If they find employees engaged throughout the day, it makes them feel at ease that work is happening.”

That’s what happened in the case of Aditya Tiwari*, who works as an account manager in a Bengaluru-based digital marketing agency. 

Following the footsteps of his peers, he began responding to texts or emails even at unearthly hours just to ‘prove’ to his bosses that he was working hard. The outcome was a promotion in designation and a pay hike after a year. 

“If this is what it takes to move up the career ladder, I am absolutely comfortable wearing the garb of productivity. However, I must admit I no longer have the creative faculties or the motivation to do good work. I’ve tried that strategy but ‘fauxductivity’ matters more to bosses,” he says. 

There’s more to this than meets the eye. 

Ruchika Sahay, a mental health professional from Gurugram, says, in many cases, employees are forced to adopt this behaviour because of the underlying insecurity and fear of losing their jobs. Some people also do this to mask burnout. 

“It may seem like the right solution to counter toxic workplaces but it is a short-term strategy. It’s hard for employees to put a mask on for long, and eventually it gives way to other issues, including stunted career growth and lack of interest in work,” she cautions. 

Tackling this trend

A recent survey conducted by Washington-based software company Software Finder reveals that 72% of employees engaged in fauxductivity, and Gen Z is ahead in the game at 83%. The finance industry seems to be at the centre of this trend. 

The study also highlights that Gen Z workers spend as many as seven hours a week pretending to be busy at work. While it may appear harmless, this could lead to severe financial losses for companies—to the tune of $9,500 per employee each year. 

This trend points to an organisational failure that needs to be addressed by senior leadership. 

According to a study by Irish multinational company Workhuman, 37% of managers admit to faking productivity. “This reveals that the pressure to perform might be coming from the top-down,” says the research. 

When managers spend their time holding multiple meetings and responding to emails all day, there’s hardly any opportunity to focus on ‘real’ work. 

“This leads to employees emulating their bosses and falling into the busyness trap. It's not the employees fault but the organisational culture that forces both managers and non-managers to normalise this behaviour,” says Parikh. 

One way to tackle the rising trend of fauxductivity is for managers to be more involved in their team members’ professional life, without micromanaging or being a source of stress. 

“It starts with creating moments of connection through frequent feedback. Opening the line of communication to mentor, problem-solve, and recognise employees can help create a positive and supportive company culture, and bolster employee wellbeing,” says Lynette Silva Heelan, Consulting Practice Leader at Workhuman, in the study. 

Such behaviour will motivate employees to take ownership and be equal partners in the company’s growth, while also focusing on their individual career graph. 

‘Fake it till you make it' may seem like a good mantra to follow in life, but it may be detrimental to your career prospects. 

*Names have been changed to protect identity.