Gen Z Workers 'Task Masking' to Appear Ultra-Busy at Work: Experts Sound the Alarm on Self-Sabotage

• Managers desire employees to be present at work for increased efficiency. Therefore, Gen Z employees are leveraging the heightened emphasis on being present to "appear busier" than their actual workload suggests; however, specialists caution this might result in additional stress and burnout.

Ever since Amazon’s major comeback to the workplace Following directives issued towards the end of last year, an increasing number of employers are discontinuing remote work options and requiring greater numbers of employees to report physically to their workplaces.

Despite facing desk shortages and counter petitions Across the board, bosses from employee ranks continue to assert that a greater physical presence correlates with heightened productivity. However, they might discover that the reverse is actually accurate.

That's because frustrated young employees can now no longer afford to " loud quit and risking job loss in the competitive job market instead, they're engaging in 'task masking'.

Basically, these individuals are putting in extra effort just to appear as though they're diligently working when in reality, they aren’t really doing much. Scrolling through TikTok swiftly reveals an abundance of tips on appearing occupied at work; strutting around with a laptop jammed beneath your arm and clacking keys loudly are common choices.

However, outside of social media, managers explain GudangMovies21 That they have been noticing this trend gradually appearing within their staff. Below is how task shielding truly affects productivity—and its implications for Generation Z employees.

Task masking can be attributed to micromanagement.

The careers platform, career.io—which originated this trend—states that task masking has risen alongside the increase in time employees spend at the office for a clear-cut reason: "Organizations requiring staff to come back into the workplace are conveying the idea that physical presence equates to being productive," notes Amanda Augustine, a career coach affiliated with career.io.

This trend indicates that young professionals feel that spending more hours at work or having direct face time with colleagues does not necessarily equate to their productivity or influence.

The main objective of task masking is to demonstrate that being visibly occupied doesn't necessarily mean you're more efficient.

Numerous managers echoed to GudangMovies21 They have directly observed an increase in employees setting up unneeded meetings and purposely extending basic tasks throughout their whole workday to seem constantly occupied.

Nevertheless, as Jenni Field, the founder and CEO of Redefining Communications points out: This isn’t something unprecedented.

Detachment and lack of productivity can occur in any setting, be it an office environment or remote work," explains the communication specialist. "When individuals have no desire to work, they simply won't.

For example: An HR director mentioned this to GudangMovies21 an increase in the number of times employees at her company have downloaded mouse movement software—the digital version of pretending to be occupied.

Field cites ambiguous expectations, excessive oversight, and poor communication as the primary culprits: "When an individual isn't achieving outcomes, the problem lies not with their location but with how they're being supervised."

If individuals must come into the workplace, there needs to be an explicit reason aside from mere visibility, particularly when tasks can potentially be handled remotely," she notes. "Should this rationale be absent, both staff members and management ought to collaborate in reshaping the concept of physical presence at work and tackle the underlying issues behind productivity loss due to in-office distractions.

Victoria McLean, CEO and founder of the career consulting firm City CV, emphasizes that task masking ought to serve as a wakeup call for managers.

If team members find themselves masking their efforts, the concern shouldn't be 'Why aren’t they exerting more energy?' Instead, it should be: 'Why do they not believe their genuine contributions are appreciated?' If individuals invest more time in seeming efficient rather than genuinely being so, this often points towards problems related to either confidence or involvement.

Task masking could indicate something more serious.

Actually, task masking may not be as significant a hindrance to productivity as one might think. Ultimately, there is limited time one can lose by hastily moving about and making noisy keystrokes.

Actually, numerous employees have been engaged in this practice for most of 2024—well before the trend acquired a name. managers, did you catch onto it?

According to a Workhuman study, thirty-six percent of employees confessed to pretending to be productive during the previous summer. This was primarily due to their desire for improved work-life harmony. Additionally, about seventy percent stated that this behavior did not affect their performance, and almost half claimed they continued to perform at an above-average level.

"This suggests that the main causes of 'task masking' might not stem from an unwillingness to perform tasks, but instead could arise from exhaustion associated with working in the office or lacking sufficient duties to occupy their time during office hours," Augustine explains.

Lee Broders, a life coach, business growth mentor, and serial entrepreneur, emphasizes that regardless of whether you're engaging in task masking due to burnout or mistrust towards management, pretending to complete tasks can ultimately be counterproductive. This behavior might exacerbate stress levels and contribute to even greater instances of burnout among employees.

"If you notice yourself engaging in task masking, pause and consider the reasons behind this behavior. Could it be due to boredom, disinterest, or dissatisfaction with present policies?" he counsels younger employees.

Rather than expending effort just to appear occupied, Broders suggests that employees should discuss with their manager how they could enhance their workload or schedule for more flexibility.

He suggests prioritizing the establishment of objectives and promoting a more conducive atmosphere for productive work, rather than concentrating on the aesthetics of labor.

McLean agrees with the notion that employees who take masks are essentially "cheating" themselves.

Building your career doesn't rely solely on how many hours you spend at your desk; rather, it depends on your achievements, connections, and credibility. Should you find the idea of working from the office unappealing, discuss this openly with your boss," she says further. "However, if the company prioritizes showy efforts more than genuine contributions, perhaps evaluate if such a setting supports your development.

The tale was initially showcased on GudangMovies21