Bosses More Than Their Workers Confess to Pretending to Be Busy A new workplace buzzword, "fauxductivity," has emerged to describe fake productivity—appearing busy without accomplishing meaningful work.

A new workplace buzzword, "fauxductivity," has emerged to describe fake productivity—appearing busy without accomplishing meaningful work. While discussions around fauxductivity often center on employees, new research suggests that managers and executives are even more likely to fake productivity.

Fauxductivity in Leadership

A Workhuman report found that:

• 37% of managers admit to faking productivity.
• 32% of non-managerial employees confess to the same.
• Among C-suite executives, fauxductivity rises to 38%.

This trend coincides with "The Great Detachment," a term describing the increasing disconnection employees feel from their work. Low productivity has become a top organizational challenge for 2024, even for Fortune 500 CEOs, according to software company Atlassian.

The Performative Productivity Trap

Many workplaces promote an "always-on" culture, where employees feel pressured to appear busy rather than focus on meaningful work. This results in:

• Attending unnecessary meetings.
• Working late without real progress.
• Responding to emails constantly instead of deep work.

Managers, expected to lead by example, often engage in performative productivity to avoid scrutiny or confrontation—a behavior that trickles down through the organization.

Breaking the Cycle of Fauxductivity

Meisha-ann Martin, Senior Director of People Analytics at Workhuman, suggests that leaders must cultivate transparency in workplace culture. Instead of encouraging fake busyness, managers should:

• Encourage honest discussions about workload challenges.
• Lead by example by prioritizing results over appearance.
• Support meaningful breaks to boost actual productivity.

Redefining Productivity: The 1,000-Minute Rule

Sales entrepreneur Ryan Serhant proposes a structured approach called the "1,000-Minute Day." Instead of wasting hours in unnecessary meetings, workers:

• Allocate time with extreme precision.
• Treat minutes like a limited resource.
• Maximize value creation without overworking.

The Labor Market and Productivity Trends

In August 2024, U.S. employers added just 142,000 nonfarm payroll jobs, falling below expectations. While unemployment dipped to 4.2%, companies are struggling to balance employee retention and efficiency.

Some industries are taking proactive steps:

• Boeing recently agreed to a 25% wage increase for 33,000 workers, also reducing healthcare costs.
• The White House launched an initiative to fill 500,000 cybersecurity and AI positions, hiring individuals without traditional qualifications.

The Future of Real Productivity

Fauxductivity is not just an individual issue but a systemic one, tied to how organizations define and measure success. To combat this trend, businesses must shift towards transparency, efficiency, and genuine results.

By addressing these deeper cultural issues, workplaces can foster real productivity at all levels—from entry-level employees to the C-suite.