Findings from the latest Workhuman® Human Workplace Index, provide fresh insights into the rising issue of ‘pretend productivity’ in UK workplaces, and how it relates to management practices and “always-on” culture.
The pressure to appear productive may be leading to “pretend productivity”, highlighted by recent reports of employees using mouse ‘jigglers’ to simulate working.
However, it’s crucial to understand the underlying causes of ‘faking it’ at work. More than a third of UK workers (36%) admit to faking productivity, with the main reason being the pursuit of a better work-life balance. Unrealistic expectations and the need to avoid burnout are also significant factors behind the trend.
Causes of pretend productivity
Aside from everyday distractions, managers acknowledge burnout as the number one cause behind employees faking activity. This reflects a broader issue: the open-ended nature of the modern work environment often demands that employees be ‘always on’—or at least appear to be.
For workers that are expected to be flexible with their hours to accommodate after-hours messages, emails, and meetings, this pressure intensifies, leading to 44% of employees engaging in fake productivity. The problem is even more pronounced when workers strongly agree they are expected to respond immediately to Slacks, Teams messages, or other non-email communications – pushing the rate of fake productivity up to a staggering 51%.
Alongside this shift, most managers (82%) believe that knowing the exact hours their employees work is key to measuring productivity. However, workers under strict time-tracking systems are more likely to fake activity. On the other hand, when time-tracking is the most relaxed, only one in four employees pretend to be working. This suggests that rigid tracking might actually promote fake productivity rather than curb it.
Consequently, the emphasis on constant availability and strict time-tracking may be counterproductive, impacting individual wellbeing and driving employees to fake productivity.
True drivers of productivity and engagement
A significant majority of managers (79%) see productivity and engagement as distinct concepts, where productivity is typically about output, and engagement refers to an employee’s genuine interest in and commitment to their work.
However, many organisations (66%) measure engagement purely by the volume of work completed. This approach can be problematic: while employees may complete tasks, it doesn’t necessarily reflect their level of engagement. When employees are disengaged, respondents report that they “do the bare minimum” to get by, leading to lower productivity and work quality.
Improving engagement naturally boosts productivity, with engaged employees significantly less likely to fake productivity. What’s more, managers who are actively involved in their teams can greatly enhance engagement. In fact, over 85% of workers report feeling engaged most of the time when their managers are highly involved.
Recognition, when done right, also plays a crucial role in fostering engagement. Instead of focusing solely on the quantity of hours worked, it’s important to recognise efforts and contributions.
Niamh Graham, Senior Vice President of Global Human Experience, Workhuman, commented:
Our research findings highlight deeper issues around workplace expectations, and the illusion of being ‘always on’, with many employees feeling they need to fake activity to appear busy, rather than being genuinely productive. To address this, companies should focus on building a high-trust culture where employees are recognised for their results rather than mere presence.
Niamh Graham, Workhuman
Joanne is the editor for Workplace Wellbeing Professional and has a keen interest in promoting the safety and wellbeing of the global workforce. After earning a bachelor's degree in English literature and media studies, she taught English in China and Vietnam for two years. Before joining Work Well Pro, Joanne worked as a marketing coordinator for luxury property, where her responsibilities included blog writing, photography, and video creation.
