FAUXDUCTIVITY
Too Busy Doing Nothing 😲😓
Dear Young Leader,
There are days where you would be ticking off items from your to-do list but none of it feels like real progress.🥴 From clearing out emails to rearranging your workspace or attending back-to-back meetings, but somehow, the important stuff - the real needle movers aren’t getting done. That’s definitely fauxductivity at work. Now here’s the catch: Fauxductivity gives you a false sense of accomplishment. In other words, you're doing something, but it seems as though you are not doing enough. It's all too easy to fall into this trap, especially when you’re juggling multiple tasks or trying to keep up with work-life-balance.
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Improved productivity means less human sweat, not more. - Henry FordYou see, most of the time, line managers and senior executives have a pseudo-understanding of productivity. They want to always see employees up and running round the clock. However, in reality, it is not possible to achieve such robotic output. These expectations lead to micromanagement, forcing employees to pretend to be productive - fauxductivity.
As stated by Henry Ford in the quote above, productivity doesn’t always have to look like stress. A seamless process of progress. 📍It is important to note that most junior members of staff are most likely to put in their best effort towards achieving a task due to the need to maintain a job and afford basic provisions. This is not the same with top executives.
You cannot mandate productivity; you must provide the tools to let people become their best. - Steve Jobs.In some cases, productivity is affected by the inadequacy of the work tools. The employers can be doing so much with little output due to the lack of equipment that supports the labour. This goes without saying that some companies’ rules are so rigid that they do not support the use of individual creativity to achieve a task. Micromanagement and the absence of a proper work tools are major precursors to Fauxductivity.
By allowing employees to exercise autonomy in how they deliver certain tasks, we will reduce the rate at which they have to pretend to be working. Inculcating proper work-life balance will further boost productivity, so much that nobody has to pretend about doing anything. In some cases, fauxductivity occurs when workers do not find meaning in what they do for the company; they just pretend to be doing something until they can finally exit the system.
To put it more bluntly, here are certain points to consider when dealing with fauxductivity:Results over process: ∆You will achieve greater output when you shift the focus from process to result.∆ Most of the time, individual creativity is required to deliver a better result, but when you are so concerned about the process, you increase the chances of fauxductivity. Focus instead on building trust and setting clear goals and outcomes to guide the output.
Tools: The advent of work technology has made life easier for humans, but when the wrong tools are adopted or not properly utilized, there will be a productivity gap. Poor project management, especially in a toxic work environment, can hide inefficiency in plain sight. When clear direction is not given at the start of a project, it leads to confusion. Everybody will seem to be working only to discover at the end of the day that it will be a work in futility. Set goals and clear direction for proper tracking of process and productivity.
Bottlenecks: Managers can be overzealous at times, and their overzealousness makes the work difficult at the same time. The process of getting approval or getting certain documents signed can be quite boring for some. These bureaucratic bottlenecks lead to reduced productivity. There is clear middle ground and the elimination of unnecessary checks, but that does not support the overall output.
Rigid work schedules: We live in a fast-paced era where almost everything happens on the go; maintaining rigid work hours or schedules will likely reduce the overall work output. Some employers consider rigid work schedules as a hostage situation, hence the need to fake productivity until the next clock out. Build a flexible work environment where people can show up and show out. It improves job satisfaction, which ultimately leads to increased productivity.
To wrap this up, jumping from one meeting to the next with too many instructions can be very exhausting and leaves little time to get the actual job done. The appearance of work becomes more important than actually getting things done. Fauxductivity is more of a product of the work culture than it is the fault of employees. If you want to arrest low productivity, the best start should be evaluating your work culture.
Your Pen Pal,
© Noble King✍️
QUOTE FOR THE WEEK 💡
Productivity is not about being busy, it's about being effective - Bryan TraversRESOURCES FOR THE WEEK
🎯Honjo International Scholarship in Japan 2025
Are you an international student seeking to study in Japan in 2025? The Honjo International Scholarship in Japan Foundation offers generous financial support for graduate students, making education in Japan more accessible for students worldwide. In this article, we will guide you through the process of applying for the 2025 Honjo International Scholarship, including eligibility criteria, benefits, and key steps for a successful application.
🎯🎯Humboldt Research Fellowship 2025-26 in Germany | Fully Funded
Humboldt Research Fellowship 2025-26 is a fully-funded fellowship program for researchers to do research work in a host institution in Germany. In this international fellowship in Europe, the researchers can select the host institutions according to their choices. The most attractive thing about this Alexander von Humboldt research fellowship is that the researchers can conduct their research at various stages of their careers.
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