Hybrid work fuels ‘fauxductivity’ concerns among managers
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES — The shift to hybrid work has brought productivity issues into sharper focus, with both managers and employees struggling to define what it means to be productive.
A recent survey by Workhuman involving 3,000 full-time employees in the U.S., U.K. and Ireland, reveals that half of managers believe their staff are engaging in “fauxductivity” – the act of pretending to work while on the clock.
The rise of ‘fauxductivity’
Despite 70% of workers claiming they aren’t faking productivity, the survey uncovered a surprising statistic: 40% of managers admitted to engaging in this behavior themselves. This discrepancy highlights the complex nature of productivity perception in the modern workplace.
The issue is further complicated by the lack of clear metrics for most roles, making it challenging for managers to set precise expectations.
“I think that leaders or managers set themselves up for this because they don’t clearly define what they want done in this hybrid environment, so it can lead to more anxiety about what people are doing in the time that they’re not visible, because there’s not really a clear understanding of what work is being done where,” said Brian Smith, an organizational psychologist.
Remote vs. in-office ‘fauxductivity’
A report from Bamboo HR sheds light on how productivity theater manifests differently for remote and in-office workers:
- 88% of remote workers take actions to prove they’re working, such as keeping messaging apps open or scheduling emails to send at specific times.
- 79% of in-office workers engage in similar behaviors, including walking around the office to be seen and planning meetings with colleagues.
“Hybrid work is having unintended consequences I think for both in-person and remote workers, in that it’s all about being seen,” said Wende Smith, head of people operations at human resource platform BambooHR.
Addressing the ‘fauxductivity’ challenge
To combat widespread “fauxductivity,” experts recommend that organizations focus on setting clearer expectations for individual employee performance.
Rob Sadow, CEO of Scoop Technologies, points out that the transition to hybrid work has exposed a lack of manager training in this area.
Wende Smith, meanwhile, emphasizes the importance of shifting focus from behaviors to outcomes: “From the people operations perspective, what we really want leaders to focus on are outcomes and business results, so having really clear expectations, and having really clear deliverables.”
“It’s less about your green status if you’re remote, or your visibility if you’re in the office, because I’m measuring you against the expectations that I’ve set forward clearly for you,” she added.
As companies continue to navigate the complexities of hybrid work, addressing these productivity concerns will be crucial for maintaining a motivated and efficient workforce.
