Gen Z Workers Master the Art of Looking Busy

For many, the perception of being busy is, well, a part of the gig. Interestingly, Gen Z has seemingly perfected this technique.

A recent survey involving 1,003 full-time U.S. professionals revealed that a staggering 80% of Gen Z workers confess to embellishing their productivity after finishing their main tasks. This is a notable increase compared to 68% of Millennials and 58% of Gen Xers, according to a technology consulting firm, Software Finder.

Yet, it turns out Gen Z isn’t in this alone.

In total, around 66% of employees reported feigning busyness beyond their actual workload. On average, individuals spend nearly five hours weekly on their appearance at work, which accumulates to about 32 workdays, or close to seven weeks each year.

Instead of signing off and facing potential backlash from their managers, many have adopted simple strategies to convey a sense of activity.

For instance, 56% of Gen Z respondents mentioned regularly moving their mice or keeping decoy tabs open. Additionally, 43% deliberately delay their responses to less urgent messages to give off an impression of being busier than they are.

Hybrid workers lead the packing when it comes to pretenses, with 76% admitting to faking productivity, followed by 66% of remote employees and 57% of those in traditional office settings.

Interestingly, nearly three-quarters (73%) of managers also confessed to pretending to be occupied, often to satisfy their superiors.

Only 18% of employees expressed guilt regarding these actions, and a mere 7% felt frustration about needing to do so.

“It’s not about shirking responsibilities,” Marium Lodhi, the chief marketing officer at Software Finder, shared. “They’re challenging the notion that being glued to a desk until 5 p.m. makes you inherently more productive.”

She poses a thought-provoking question: “Instead of asking how to make employees look busy, why not consider how to reward them for completing excellent work early?”

Interestingly, more than half of those who admit to faking productivity often finish their tasks at least an hour ahead of their quitting time, with 22% claiming to wrap up two hours or more early.

Moreover, many indicated they’d be glad to log off if they weren’t subject to evaluation.

A notable 64% acknowledged that they purposely slow their pace, as completing tasks too quickly can lead to an influx of new assignments.

Interestingly, employee monitoring might actually amplify this issue. Nearly two-thirds (63%) of those at companies utilizing productivity tracking tools reported that such oversight makes them more inclined to disguise their actions.

This aligns with earlier studies: data from the American Psychological Association showed that 56% of workers under electronic monitoring feel anxious or stressed in their roles.

Ironic as it sounds, maintaining the facade of productivity could be more draining than the work itself—close to half (49%) reported that the effort to appear busy contributes to burnout, while 75% indicated that their monitoring software heightens stress rather than boosting productivity.

It’s worth noting that many aren’t trying to deceive their entire workplace. A good portion—35%—said they perform mainly for their direct supervisor, while 31% conceded this behavior has become a habitual response, even when no one’s watching.

As Roddy pointed out, “The ambition hasn’t faded, but younger workers are clearly unwilling to sacrifice their evenings, weekends, or excessive screen time just to demonstrate commitment. They’re reshaping the definition of success.”