More than a third (36%) of UK employees confess they fake working activity, new research has revealed.
A survey by Workhuman showed that causes of “pretend productivity” include people wanting a better work-life balance, followed by unrealistic expectations and trying to avoid burnout.
The software company’s Human Workplace Index found that the pressure to appear productive intensifies among those expected to work flexibly to respond to messages, emails and meetings outside usual hours, leading to 44% of staff engaging in faking activity.
The rate of pretend productivity rises to 51% for employees who strongly agree they are expected to immediately reply to Slacks, Teams messages or other non-email communications.
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Niamh Graham, senior vice president of global human experience at Workhuman said: “It’s important to recognise that most workers aren’t faking activity. Yet, a substantial number are feeling compelled to do so. Our latest research reveals deeper issues that organisations should be mindful of, such as the impact of workplace expectations and ‘always on’ culture on productivity and burnout.”
Among the managers surveyed, most (82%) think knowing the exact hours worked by staff is essential to measuring their productivity. However, strict time-tracking is likely to lead to more fake activity and when it is most relaxed just a quarter of employees pretend to work, suggesting that rigid monitoring of hours might promote – rather than curb – fake productivity.
Nearly four in five managers (79%) note a clear distinction between productivity and engagement, where productivity means output and engagement is an individual’s genuine commitment and interest in their work.
However, two-thirds of employers (66%) look solely at the volume of work completed to measure engagement.
Workhuman warns this approach can cause problems because while people may carry out tasks, it doesn’t necessarily show how engaged they are. It found that when individuals feel disengaged, they say they “do the bare minimum”, which leads to a reduction in their work quality, as well as their productivity.
The survey showed that boosting engagement naturally also lifts productivity, with engaged staff much less likely to pretend to be productive. Additionally, managers can significantly increase engagement by being actively involved in their teams, with more than 85% of respondents reporting they feel engaged most of the time when this is the case.
Graham added: “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. High-trust, collaborative working environments, combined with meaningful recognition, can drive greater engagement, higher productivity, and a stronger sense of belonging and purpose. This approach not only reduces the need to fake activity but fosters a more motivated and productive workforce overall.”
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Workhuman highlighted that recognition can also play an important role in increasing engagement. It advised employers to mark employees’ efforts and contributions rather than focus only on the number of hours worked, noting that effective recognition should be “authentic, fulfilling, and personalised”.
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