What is Productivity Paranoia?

The culture of today’s workplace is constantly evolving. According to Statista.com, before the 2020 pandemic, roughly 17% of people worked from home 5+ days a week. Since then, that number has soared to 44%.

This shift has really changed the way we think of our working lives. Almost half of Americans are working from home. Many employees feel that this has been a great change and feel that their productivity is the same, if not better, at home. It seems that managers may disagree. 

Let’s dig into this phenomenon of productivity paranoia that’s sweeping the remote and hybrid world.

Defining Productivity Paranoia

The hybrid workplace has been positive in many ways, but it has led to a disconnect between managers and employees. Managers and HR admins worry that employees are not working hard enough at home, while employees feel pressure to be working at all times while they are at home. 

This concept is called productivity paranoia. Microsoft defines productivity paranoia as “where leaders fear that lost productivity is due to employees not working, even though hours worked, the number of meetings, and other activity metrics have increased.”  This study also found that 87% of employees surveyed felt like they were productive at work while only 12% of managers felt confident that their employees were being productive.

Since managers are no longer able to always walk around and physically see their employees working, they are assuming they are not working. This does not seem to be the case. Employees may not be at their desks staring at their computers as much, but that does not lead to decreased workplace engagement. 

This distrust of employees has reached such high levels that many companies have invested in very expensive surveillance software. This allows them to track employee’s activity throughout the day. However, this is not a great solution to the problem. It makes the employees feel distrusted and leads to a large amount of pressure on them to get tasks done. It also takes the human aspect out of management which could lead to bigger problems later on. 

Let’s look into some ways that we can encourage productivity and empower employees and managers without intrusive and expensive surveillance software. 

4 Ways to Combat Productivity Paranoia

Even though it may be tempting to purchase software that will track every little movement your employee makes, it may not be the best technique for eradicating productivity paranoia. It can lead to burnout for employees. They may feel stressed that their every move is being tracked and it may distract them from their ultimate task. 

There are other techniques that are definitely worth trying in order to decrease productivity paranoia and make sure your team’s productivity is where it should be. Let’s talk about 4 ways to combat productivity paranoia as a manager. 

1. Manager One-on-Ones

A one-on-one is a check-in that managers set with their employees on a regular basis. They are often scheduled as a standing appointment once a week. This can be done in person or through a Zoom meeting in a remote environment.

In a one-on-one meeting, the manager should have an agenda of what they would like to discuss with the employee they are meeting with. It should include checking in on previous goals that have been set, as well as setting new goals for the following week. 

This is a time for managers to really set expectations and see how their employees are performing. It is also a great idea to check in with your employee about their schedule that week. Do they have any appointments or school performances they will be out of the office for? You may want to record their responses so you are on the same page about when they will be working. This is your chance to actively manage and ask questions. Then you can step back and let them have their autonomy throughout the week. Set clear expectations as their senior leader and let them take the reigns.

2. Embrace Healthy Flexibility

It is important to understand that all employees work differently and productivity happens differently for different employees. When we made the sudden shift to remote work, employees really balanced it all during the pandemic to help support their employers and their business goals. Employees proved that they can juggle kids and other responsibilities at home while productively doing their jobs.

Consider working with each individual employee to establish their schedule and expectations. The policies should be tailored to each employee and not one size fits all. If you require in-office time, work with your team to see what that time should look like. Do they want some social time? Brainstorming sessions? Group meetings? Let your employees have a say in how they spend their time at work and wait for the magic to happen. 

3. Make Metrics Make Sense

When it comes to measuring employee productivity, expensive employee monitoring software can be appealing. You simply install the software and it does a manager’s job for them. It replaces the manager keeping a physical eye on employees, ensuring they are at their desks and actively working. The software measures keystrokes and computer activities, and measures time spent in each document—among other things. These productivity metrics are then compiled into convenient dashboards for managers to review. 

There may be a place for such software, but is that really how you want to manage remote workers? This software can be extremely frustrating for remote workers and can make them feel micromanaged. It also does not account for different work styles and special circumstances. 

Think about what metrics truly matter when it comes to employee productivity. If they are performing well and contributing quality work, why does it matter how often and how much they are typing at their desk? Consider working with your team to establish metrics that have meaning within your team. They could even be different for each employee. 

It is important to have goals and expectations, however, they do not need to be uniform or rigid. Ask for your team member’s feedback on how they like their productivity to be managed and how they would like their performance measured. As long as it meets your employer’s standards and expectations, give them the freedom to get their work done when and how they see fit.

If they meet these expectations be sure to give them recognition for their work. Whether a simple “thank you” message or a larger team shoutout board, they’ll appreciate the sentiment and become more engaged.

4. Understand the Changing Workforce

Today’s corporate environment looks pretty diverse. There are up to 5 generations all sharing a workplace, making it a very unique time. There are great perks to having people from all different phases of life on the same team. Each generation can lend a unique perspective and work style to create a great melting pot. 

The culture of the company can have a big impact on your productivity. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said, “When you think about culture as all about business and metrics and scorecards, you can get a lot but it just doesn’t invoke that real, innate capability that we all have. Work is a large part of what we do in life. If it was only about achieving some scorecard metrics, I don’t think that would be enough of a deep meaning.” 

It is important to train your managers on how to manage different generations on the same team. Make sure they’re also prepared to pull out the best work from each of their employees, regardless of generation. It is also important to note that generations like to work differently. Your baby boomers may prefer to work in the office while millennials may want to work remotely. A hybrid model for working may be worth considering. 

We also live in a polarizing time. Especially in a remote working environment, we have people of differing backgrounds and beliefs working together. Celebrating diversity, equity, and inclusion, through policies and DEI events creates a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive for people of all backgrounds. This will go a long way to improving employee productivity. 

Create a Paranoia-Free Environment

Productivity paranoia is a totally understandable phenomenon in this newly hybrid working world. The way we work has experienced a significant shift and there will definitely continue to be some growing pains as we navigate our new normal. Managing employees has been flipped upside down. Gone are the days of constant check-ins and physically checking up on employees. 

This does not mean we need to panic or be paranoid. Microsoft’s Jared Spataro counsels,  “What we’re going to have to do collectively is recognize that you can be successful in these new emerging patterns of work, you’re just going to have to create new types of visibility.” By scheduling one-on-ones, embracing flexibility, making metrics make sense, and understanding our changing and diverse workforce, you can continue to see high productivity from your employees. 

It is time to step out of the old way of managing employees and time to embrace a new style. Flexibility is key. According to Fortune.com, “The key is having a workplace culture where employees feel trusted and safe enough to not constantly be plugged in, and one where there is flexibility in terms of when and how the work is getting done.” Listen to your employees and try letting them set the tone on their when and how they work.