The Problem With 'Fauxductivity'

Welcome to the November edition of #TanaSpeaks with Dr. Tana M. Session. This is a monthly newsletter designed to expand your perspective in the workplace. Don't miss an issue and be sure to +subscribe .

In this month's poll, I asked you how often you feel micromanaged at work. About one third of you said never, which is good to hear. However, one third of you said sometimes or once in awhile and another third of you said most or all of the time. This is concerning! And this may be why many employees are disengaged at work. It could also tie into the topic of this month's newsletter.

Have you heard of Fauxductivity? It’s one of the newest HR buzzwords on the market, and though some of these words may seem silly, this one is worth paying attention to.?

Fauxductivity is short for "FAKE PRODUCTIVITY" and refers to when employees, managers, and executives fake being productive while at work.

According to a survey by Workhuman , 32% of employees, 37% of managers, and 38% of executives say they fake productivity at work. While 67% of employees deny faking productivity, 48% of managers believe it's a big issue. However, managers who said they faked productivity were more likely to believe it to be an issue, than those who did not.?

So why are leaders and HR thinking about this in the first place? Hint: It’s driven by fear and misunderstanding of the future of work.

On the surface, Fauxductivity may seem like a by-product of the hybrid and remote workplace. But another survey suggests that poor workplace culture and high levels of burnout are the real reason for the prevalence of Fauxductivity. A lot of the data around this implies that a toxic culture of performative productivity and productivity anxiety are coming from the top. Even managers who admit to faking productivity cite that their main reasons for doing so are to appease management and deal with burnout .?

Here is why this is becoming an issue:

Problem 1: Implies all work is measured by time. Assumption that the more “time” you spend...the harder you’re working.

• 60% of remote employees say they fake productivity when some form of time-tracking is used. Compare this to the 66% of employees who say they do not fake productivity when time-tracking is not required .
• When culture focuses more on output over input, they will value the quality of the work rather than the amount of hours worked. This will take away the pressure on employees to “perform” and make them feel less likely to engage in Fauxductivity.

Problem 2: Doesn’t allow room for creativity & outside-the-box thinking.

• The conflict between productivity and creativity is an ongoing discussion.?
• It’s a delicate balance between allowing enough freedom to let creativity and innovation grow, while maintaining levels of productivity.
• When we have clear goals, flexibility, and a focus on outcomes, we can be more creative. And this is backed up by research! The more clarity employees have about their work priorities, the happier they will be at their company - which increases productivity!

Problem 3: Feeds into our obsession around being productive & that we always need to be “online.”

• Another reason managers fake productivity is a desire for better work-life balance.?
• Over 50% of employees say that they are expected to respond to Slacks, messages, or emails immediately and 52% say that they are expected to accommodate after-hours meetings.?
• We need to establish and respect healthy workplace boundaries, set clear expectations, and model the behavior we want to see. Set a standard response time that is realistic, and make room for emergencies when absolutely necessary. And no..."poor planning on your part does NOT constitute an emergency on my part!"?

Problem 4: Assumes the employee isn’t looking for meaning, purpose, or fulfillment in their work.?

• Engaged employees find meaning, purpose, or fulfillment in their roles. When they are not engaged, productivity dips.
• 54% of employees admit that when they are not engaged at work, they tend to do the bare minimum that is required of them just to get through the day.?
• When managers are involved with employees, 61% of them say they feel more engaged at work , but this number drops to 26% for those whose managers are not as involved or not involved at all.

Problem 5: With the rise of AI in the workplace, productivity needs to be redefined

• Due to trust and performance issues with the implementation of AI, employee engagement and productivity can decline .
• We need to consider some safe practices and guidelines that address trust issues and touch on cultural differences and biases to ensure AI can enhance productivity rather than hinder it.?

When considering all these problems, we need to reimagine the way we do work. The workplace is becoming increasingly flexible, agile, and creative. With the advent of Industry 5.0, humans are transitioning from using machines to make work physically less demanding, to collaborating with machines intimately to increase innovation and creativity. Change can be scary, but we should embrace it and accept it!

How is your organization preparing for the future of work?

Connect with me to explore a strategy consultation or training opportunities on this topic and to discuss how I can help your organization ensure employee engagement and productivity are prioritized.

NOVEMBER OBSERVANCES:

• National Native American Heritage Month : During National Native American Heritage Month, we celebrate Indigenous peoples past and present, and rededicate ourselves to honoring Tribal sovereignty, promoting Tribal self-determination, and upholding the United States' solemn trust and treaty responsibilities to Tribal Nations.
• National Family Caregivers Month : Proclaimed in 2012 by former President Barack Obama. It honors the more than 40M caregivers across the country who support aging parents, ill spouses, or other loved ones with disabilities who remain at home
• National Veterans and Military Families Month : We give special recognition to veterans & military families for their invaluable contributions and steadfast service to our country.
• Diabetes Awareness Month : A month dedicated to raising awareness about diabetes, a global health epidemic that affects millions of people. This annual event serves as a platform to educate, advocate, and support individuals living with diabetes while encouraging others to take proactive steps to prevent the disease.
• National Career Development Month: A month dedicated to highlighting the importance of career development and planning. This campaign seeks to empower individuals of all ages to take charge of their career journeys, make informed decisions, and pursue fulfilling and meaningful work.
• November 6: National Stress Awareness Day , to increase public awareness and help people recognize, manage, and reduce stress in their personal and professional lives.
• November 9: World Adoption Day , The day was created for the purpose of celebrating family, raising awareness for adoption, and raising funds to support families in the adoption journey.
• November 11: Veterans Day , a US federal holiday honoring military veterans. The date is also celebrated as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day in other parts of the world and commemorates the ending of World War I in 1918.
• November 13–19: Transgender Awareness Week , the week before Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20, in which people and organizations participate in Transgender Awareness Week to help raise the visibility of transgender people and address issues members of the community face.
• November 16: International Day for Tolerance , an annual observance day declared by UNESCO in 1995 to generate public awareness of the dangers of intolerance.
• November 17: International Employee Resource Groups (ERG) Day , established in 1970 at Xerox with the National Black Employee Caucus, today, ERGs can be found at companies of all sizes and industries where they play an important role in shaping an inclusive culture and fostering a sense of belonging in the workplace.?
• November 19: International Men’s Day emphasizes the important issues affecting males, including health issues that affect males, improving the relations between genders, highlighting the importance of male role models, and promoting gender equality. This holiday is celebrated in more than 70 countries.
• November 20: Transgender Day of Remembrance , established in 1998 to memorialize those who have been killed as a result of transphobia and to raise awareness of the continued violence endured by the transgender community.
• November 28: Thanksgiving Day in the United States , It began as a day of giving thanks for the blessing of the harvest and of the preceding year.
• November 29: Native American Heritage Day , held annually on the Friday after Thanksgiving, encourages Americans of all backgrounds to observe and honor Native Americans through appropriate ceremonies and activities. The day was signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2008.
• November 21: Native American Women’s Equal Pay Day , Native American women make $.59 for every dollar earned by non-Hispanic White men in 2024. It would take almost a full additional year to catch up on earnings.?

Until next month... Be well and stay safe & healthy! Enjoy the upcoming holiday season!

STOP BEING THE BEST KEPT SECRET (R)

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