Employees are fighting against RTO mandates by 'task masking'

There's a new workplace trend that may completely change the way organizations view their in-office workforce — and whether they're actually doing their job. 

Thirty-three percent of employees say they're faking productivity when in person, according to a survey from management company Workhuman, including 38% of C-Suite executives and 37% of managers. And for 48% of managers, fake productivity is a common issue on their team. Wasting time at work may be nothing new, but the movement has gained popularity on social media under a new name: "task masking." 

"This is a direct response to the RTO mandates," says Amanda Augustine, resident career expert at job insights platform Career.io. "Leaders think that because they can't see what employees are doing when working remote, they can't trust them. However, most employees think it's ridiculous that face time somehow means productive time, so they've decided that if they're going to be forced to show up, they're going to pretend." 

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Simply put, task masking, which has hundreds of videos dedicated to it on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels that have garnered thousands of views, encourages employees to put in extra effort at the office to look like they're working harder than they are. For example, some tips from creators include typing furiously when leaders are around, or walking around the office with a laptop and making frustrated noises periodically. There are even guides on how to download popular apps onto computers so that employees can still scroll through their favorite social media apps discreetly. 

"They're taking that concept of face time employers want to the next level," she says. "They're making sure they're heard, seen and perceived as working very hard, but all the while maintaining the same productivity level." 

While these efforts don't necessarily negatively affect an organization's productivity — Workhuman found that 48% of employees who fake productivity still consider themselves an above-average worker — it's still very risky behavior for the employee, according to Augustine. Many organizations still use tracking software on their workforce's devices that could reveal the kind of websites employees are using on company time, or even show discrepancies between time spent "working" and actual output. 

The primary concern, Augustine says, is what happens should an employee get caught. Employers may view 'task masking' as employees not having enough to do and could respond in a way that adds to the unease, such as assigning teams more work without the corresponding pay. 

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"In an ideal world, the response would be that organizations understand the underlying motives behind this behavior," Augustine says. "Instead, I see this as a reflection of a competitive job market and companies feeling like they hold the control over employees." 

That outlook may be representative of the landscape now, but it isn't sustainable in the long-run, explains Augustine. If employers want to roll-out RTO mandates and keep employees productive, they're going to have to sweeten the deal with better benefits like expanded PTO, travel stipends and in-office training and mentorship opportunities, she says. As for employees, communicating directly with their managers may be a better way to prove a point. 

"Task masking is passive aggressive — it doesn't actually ever put the power back to you," Augustine says. "Be upfront and professional with managers and HR by voicing your concerns and making concrete suggestions. Don't assume you're going to overturn the mandate, but look for compromises where you can."