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“Fauxductivity:” What It Is & How to Fix It

Increasing productivity is undeniably a key component of driving business success. However, with burnout and low employee engagement trending upward, productivity continues to suffer. As a result, “fauxductivity” has begun to gain popularity.

In this article, our employment experts at Doherty Staffing Solutions share what fauxductivity is, who it is impacting, what causes fauxductivity, and how you can address it.

What is fauxductivity?

You may have heard of the new buzzword, “fauxductivity,” a mashup of the word faux and productivity. This new trend in the workplace is defined as employees faking productivity, often at the expense of doing meaningful work. Employees have begun working as if they are always being watched, which can in part be attributed to the rise of surveillance tools that surfaced as remote work became more popular, but there are many influencing factors driving fauxductivity.

Who is faking productivity?

The fauxductivity trend has become alarmingly common. This trend is not just impacting workers, but managers as well. According to a study conducted by Workhuman (a company that provides cloud-based software and services to help businesses create more human-centered work environments), managers report “faking productivity” more frequently than their employees. Interestingly, of the managers who said they fake productivity, nearly 70% say faking activity is a common issue on their team, versus 37% of managers who do not fake activity. This statistic points to poor culture, which can have negative impacts on employees’ well-being and output.

Because both managers and workers are faking productivity at work, this means that fauxductivity is not just an employee issue. This calls for organizational change, as fauxductivity impacts workplaces from the top down which can have lasting impacts on company culture.

What causes fauxductivity?

Regardless of the breakdown of fauxductivity between managers and workers, the primary causes of fauxductivity are universal:

  1. Issues with burnout: Employee burnout continues to climb. When employees face constant stress and pressure without adequate breaks or support, it leads to burnout. Instead of pushing through to complete meaningful work, they may resort to tasks that look productive, such as sending unnecessary emails or attending excessive meetings.
  2. Micromanagement: Micromanagement and digital surveillance tools create an environment where employees feel they must always appear busy. Knowing that their activity is being tracked, many will shift their focus from doing quality work to maintaining an illusion of productivity—whether that’s responding to messages instantly or over-reporting minor accomplishments.
  3. Project/workload mismanagement: When employees have too much on their plates, they may spread themselves thin by working on several tasks at once, yet not making progress on any of them. Conversely, if the workload is too light or poorly structured, they may resort to “busy work” to fill time. Adding unnecessary steps or bottlenecks also leads to fauxductivity by rewarding those who can maneuver through bureaucracy rather than produce actual results.
  4. Lack of flexibility: Rigid schedules that don’t account for individual productivity rhythms and personal obligations can encourage employees to be visible rather than effective. Companies that reward constant availability over tangible results contribute to this issue. Employees end up doing performative work, such as being visibly active (e.g. logging in early or staying late)—to appear dedicated, even if it means sacrificing true efficiency.
  5. Lack of psychological safety: A workplace culture that lacks trust and psychological safety can lead to what’s called “productivity anxiety.” This is defined as the worry that no matter how much work is put into a project or task, it will still not be “good enough.” When employees are anxious that their value is solely tied to their output, they might focus on looking busy to avoid scrutiny, even if it means pretending to work rather than tackling meaningful projects. Unrealistically high expectations, lack of open communication, and a focus on optics over outcomes all exacerbate this issue.

By understanding and addressing these root causes, organizations can begin to shift away from toxic cultures of fauxductivity and create environments that foster genuine engagement and meaningful productivity.

How can fauxductivity be addressed?

Because fauxductivity stems from toxic cultures that create performative work, the best way to negate this issue is to work on improving culture. It is important to understand that fauxductivity is not an employee laziness issue, but rather a multifaceted issue that requires a focus on improving the employee experience.

Determining which of the previously covered causes is driving fauxductivity in your organization is the first step to creating a plan for improving your company’s culture. Cultivating a supportive work environment could look like embracing more flexibility, reducing unnecessary work, taking more employee surveys/feedback, and embracing innovation and collaboration. The bottom line is that taking an understanding approach is key. It’s no secret that employees will perform better at work when they feel respected, heard, and appreciated.

At Doherty Staffing Solutions, we understand just how important creating a positive work culture is to attract top talent and retain top-notch workers. No matter the employment need, our team of experts is here to help. Start boosting your workforce today!

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