Remote Work: Breaking Free from Productivity Theater
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Understanding Productivity Theater
Recent findings indicate that one of the main advantages of remote work—eliminating "productivity theater"—is not being realized. When working remotely, employees often feel less pressure to create unnecessary project tracking documents or schedule pointless meetings just to seem productive. With their supervisors out of sight, many find it tempting to engage in personal activities, such as yoga or taking care of pets, instead of sticking rigidly to traditional work norms.
However, experts argue that not feeling compelled to fill every minute of the workday can actually enhance long-term productivity. Despite this, a report by Qatalog and GitLab reveals that many remote workers are still trapped in outdated habits.
“Drawing on surveys of 2,000 knowledge workers in the US and UK, the two companies’ new ‘Killing Time at Work’ report finds that online workers are behaving too much like cubicle warriors of decades past.”
Section 1.1 The Impact of Old Habits
Tariq Rauf, founder and CEO of Qatalog, points out that the pandemic provided a unique opportunity to overhaul our work structure. Unfortunately, the report suggests that we are reverting to old ways, missing the chance to establish a more flexible, asynchronous work environment.
Among these outdated practices, remote workers are frequently participating in unproductive Zoom meetings, responding to emails at select times, and engaging in other forms of digital presenteeism. This behavior consumes an average of 67 minutes of their workday, leading to significant wasted time.
Subsection 1.1.1 The Cost of Digital Presenteeism
The report also highlights that this trend may lead to lower-quality work. A staggering 81% of respondents believe that greater flexibility in their work hours enhances both productivity and output quality.
Section 1.2 Moving Towards Asynchronous Work
So, how can employers ensure that their teams are genuinely engaged rather than merely pretending to be productive? The report emphasizes the necessity of not only remote work but also truly asynchronous work.
Certain tasks, such as brainstorming and decision-making, require simultaneous collaboration. However, much of the execution phase can be completed at any time, allowing for flexibility. For example, if Jane works on her project at 11 p.m. while Joe, an early riser, handles his section at 5 a.m., the team can still function efficiently as long as neither becomes a bottleneck.
Chapter 2 The Challenge of Mixed Messages
Despite the theoretical benefits of asynchronous work, many companies still impose outdated norms and face technological barriers that compel employees to demonstrate their availability during traditional working hours.
“More than half of workers (54%) say their colleagues are stuck in old habits and almost two thirds of people (63%) believe that management and senior leadership within their organization ‘prefer a traditional culture with employees in the office’.”
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The result is a complicated scenario where employees experience the blurring of work and life without reaping the benefits of autonomy. This often leads to burnout and dissatisfaction among talented workers.
The Path Forward
The solution is simple: if organizations commit to remote work, they should also embrace asynchronous practices. If employees are told they have the freedom to work as they wish, it’s crucial to provide the necessary technology and support.
If management secretly prefers that employees are online at certain times, it will likely result in more of the same unproductive behaviors associated with "productivity theater."
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This post originally appeared on Inc.com.