Jessica O'ConnorA recent survey by career services provider Resume Now revealed that a significant portion of the workforce engages in “ghostworking” – the act of appearing busy without being productive.
The study indicated that 58% of employees admit to regularly pretending to work, while an additional 34% do so occasionally.
Common tactics include scheduling unnecessary meetings, typing random keystrokes, and toggling between applications to simulate activity.
The survey also highlighted that 92% of respondents have searched for new job opportunities during their current work hours.
This trend is particularly prevalent among remote workers, who report higher instances of both ghostworking and on-the-clock job hunting compared to their in-office counterparts.
Distractions contributing to decreased productivity include social media usage, online shopping, and personal messaging.
The report suggested that employees often resort to ghostworking due to factors such as unrealistic workload expectations, lack of engagement, and inadequate recognition.
Keith Spencer, career expert, said: “Most of us have stretched a task to make it look like we’re busy – but new data shows the issue runs deeper.
“More than half of employees (58%) admit they regularly pretend to be working, while another 34% do it occasionally.
“From fake meetings to typing nonsense, employees are getting creative to maintain the illusion of productivity.
“The problem? It’s not always about laziness.
“Workers are often faking focus due to pressure, lack of meaningful tasks, or unclear expectations. And while some distractions are unavoidable, many are built into the modern workday – whether you’re at the office or working remotely.”
