Fake work: what is it and how can it be prevented?

In today’s working world, a lot of emphasis is placed on efficiency and productivity. Employers want their employees to make the best possible use of their working time and to be busy at all times.

But unfortunately, there is also a downside to this demand for constant hard work: most employees try to be or appear busy all the time – even if they don’t have anything meaningful to do.

In this blog article, we take a closer look at what fake work actually is and what impact it can have on companies. Above all, however, we want to focus on how employers can prevent fake work and create a productive working environment instead.

What is fake work?

Fake work, often referred to as bogus work, can become a significant problem for employers. In order to properly understand and effectively address this phenomenon, we should first define what fake work is.

The term was coined in 2009 by entrepreneurs Brent D. Peterson and Gaylan W. Nielson. In their guide on the subject, they differentiate between “fake work” and “real work”. While real work moves the company forward, fake work looks and feels like real work – but it does not produce any actual results or progress.

Fake work can include various pointless things and activities in the workplace. It is estimated that fake work accounts for half to two thirds of the working day.

Some typical examples of fake work are

• Endless e-mail writing and reading without any real progress or benefit.
• Repeatedly checking social media channels or websites during working hours.
• Spending too much time creating reports and documentation that nobody reads or needs.
• Delegating too many unnecessary tasks or passing them on to team members who have already done the work.
• Excessive multitasking and task switching, which affects focus and productivity.
• Revising tasks or projects that have already been completed in order to achieve unnecessary perfection.
• Spending time in unproductive meetings or seminars that do not contribute to the progress of the company or project.
• Making unnecessary or excessive phone calls.

Do not confuse sham work with a sham employment relationship

Fake work in the sense of fake employment should not be confused with fake employment.

A sham employment relationship refers to a false representation of an employment relationship between employer and employee. In this case, an employment relationship is feigned, although in reality no actual work is performed.

The aim of a fictitious employment relationship is often to obtain unlawful benefits, such as social benefits or tax concessions. It is a form of fraud and is illegal. In contrast, sham work merely describes ineffective work activities that are unproductive but not illegal or punishable by law.

What problems does fake work cause?

Fake work can cause various problems in companies. The most obvious and probably biggest disadvantage is that valuable resources are wasted that could otherwise be used for productive and meaningful work.

Employees can also become frustrated or demotivated by being unnecessarily occupied with tasks that do not contribute to achieving the company’s goals. This can lead to a drop in morale and ultimately to a loss of talent.

In the worst case scenario, this can lead to the company lagging behind its competitors and missing out on innovations.

It is therefore important to raise awareness of fake work and take targeted measures to reduce it.

How can fake work be recognized?

Fake work is also dangerous because it often goes unrecognized for a long time. One way to detect it is to pay attention to the results produced. If no concrete results are achieved despite long hours of work, this is a possible indication of fake work.

Similarly, countless meetings, unnecessarily long email or telephone conversations or tasks without clear prioritization can be signs that too much time is being invested in pointless things.

A critical look at your own working day can also help you to find out which tasks are actually productive and which can be classified as fake work.

How can fake work be prevented?

Employers can take various measures to prevent fake work in their company.

According to Peterson and Nielson, the following steps are particularly important:

1. Clear distinction between real work and fake work: Make clear distinctions between tasks that contribute to the achievement of company goals and those that do not.
2. Alignment of tasks with corporate goals: Every task should be geared towards contributing to the achievement of company goals. This helps to prioritize tasks and focus the team on the most important projects.
3. Planning meetings and phone calls with a clear objective: Meetings and phone calls should only be planned if they have a clear objective and offer added value for the company.
4. Avoid duplication of tasks: Ensure that tasks are not duplicated or triplicated. A clear division of work and communication within the team can contribute to this.
5. Creating a working environment that promotes concentration: A quiet working environment with natural light, few visual distractions and the occasional plant promotes concentrated work.
6. Visibility of services: Clear time and project time tracking can help make deliverables visible and avoid fake work. Project management also helps to prioritize tasks and keep an eye on progress.
7. Sensible delegation of tasks: Tasks need to be delegated sensibly to ensure that everyone in the team can play to their strengths and tasks are completed effectively. Clear communication and delegation strategies also help here.

Employers should also ensure that their employees have the necessary resources to do their work effectively. This also means that employees should be given enough time to complete tasks carefully without being under time pressure.

More efficient workflows thanks to the right software

Software for personnel planning and management is a valuable tool for preventing fake work in the company. By automating various work processes and centralizing information, the program can increase productivity and significantly boost the efficiency of all employees.

The ideal software to reduce fake work: Teamhero

Teamhero offers various functions that help to reduce fake work. For example, it enables transparent staff scheduling and management. Tasks and responsibilities are clearly defined – employees are involved in meaningful tasks that match their skills and competencies instead of being bogged down in pointless tasks and administrative tasks.

The software also offers integrated time recording, which enables employers to accurately record the actual working hours of their employees.

These and other functions help to improve the quality of work and increase employee satisfaction. Employees are not burdened with unimportant or superfluous tasks and information and therefore have more time and energy for their actual core tasks.

Conclusion

Fake work is a serious and quite common problem that has a negative impact on the company and the well-being of employees. Fortunately, there are precautions that can be taken to minimize fake work.

There are methods such as OKR or software such as Teamhero that you can use to ensure that your company works more productively and efficiently and that your employees focus on important tasks.