Teams are more connected than ever - collaborating across borders, using digital tools, and working flexibly. But despite this evolution, many organisations are still measuring productivity the old-fashioned way: by how visible people are, not by the value they deliver.
This is what is called the productivity paradox - a growing disconnect between how work is measured and how value is created.
This misalignment between measurement and value creation has given rise to what’s commonly referred to as ‘productivity theatre’. In an effort to appear busy and engaged, employees often feel compelled to participate in performative behaviours such as attending meetings with little relevance, sending frequent status updates, or remaining online well beyond working hours. These actions are not necessarily driven by a desire to contribute meaningfully, but rather by the pressure to be seen as productive.
When managers choose to measure productivity from visibility rather than outcomes, it leads to significant challenges and risks and cultivates a culture where the most vocal individuals often eclipse the most valuable contributors.
What is the cause of the productivity paradox?
The roots of the paradox lie in out-dated and traditional management models. For decades, productivity was measured by presence: hours in the office, time at the desk, phone calls answered, or responsiveness to emails. These measurements made sense in a world of physical office workplace, where tasks followed a sequential, step-by-step process, with little overlap or flexibility. But today’s work is non-linear, digital, and flexible. The old metrics no longer apply.
Yet many organisations haven’t updated their expectations. Employees, especially in hybrid roles, often feel they must overcompensate to prove they’re working. This results in a culture of overwork, under-trust, and misaligned incentives.
This paradox isn’t limited to office environments. In frontline and field-based roles, such as healthcare, logistics, or manufacturing, traditional productivity measures can also fall short. For example:
In healthcare, focusing solely on the number of patients seen per hour may overlook the quality of care, patient outcomes, or the emotional labour involved in treatment.
In logistics, measuring productivity by deliveries made might ignore critical factors like route efficiency, safety, or customer satisfaction.
In retail or hospitality, hours on the floor or transactions processed don’t always reflect the value of customer service, upselling, or problem resolution.
To truly address the productivity paradox, organisations must evolve their measurement models to reflect the realities of modern work across all sectors and roles.
The cost to business
The consequences of this misalignment are more than just cultural, they’re commercial. When teams are incentivised to ‘look busy’ rather than deliver value, businesses suffer in three main ways:
Innovation stalls: Meaningful, focused work - the kind that drives real breakthroughs - is often pushed aside by the pressure to appear constantly busy.
Burnout increases: When employees feel they must continually demonstrate their value, it leads to stress, disengagement, and higher turnover.
Decision-making suffers: Prioritising visibility over outcomes can cause managers to overlook top performers and allow ineffective habits to persist.
In short, the productivity paradox isn’t just a people problem, it’s a performance problem.
What can managers do?
Solving this paradox doesn’t require a complete overhaul of your operations but it does require a shift in mindset from managing time to managing trust, and from measuring activity to measuring impact.
Start by asking yourself: What does success actually look like for my team? If your answer includes phrases like “always available” or “quick to respond,” it might be time to reassess.
Instead, try to focus on outcomes. Define clear, measurable goals that align you’re your business’ priorities. Give your teams the autonomy to achieve those goals in the way that works best for them. And most importantly, model the behaviour you want to see. If you’re sending emails at midnight or praising those who are ‘always on’, you’re reinforcing the very culture you’re trying to change.
Rethinking what productivity really means
It’s time to move beyond the outdated idea that productivity is about being constantly busy. In today’s world of work, real productivity is about focus, impact, and intention.
It’s about giving people the space to think deeply, solve problems creatively, and collaborate meaningfully, not just tick boxes or stay online for appearances. It’s about setting clear goals, then trusting your team to deliver in the way that works best for them.
As a manager, you set the tone. When you shift the focus from hours logged to outcomes achieved, you don’t just improve performance, you build a culture of trust, autonomy, and accountability.
Because productivity isn’t about clocking hours or filling calendars. It’s about driving progress, creating value, and making every effort count.
If you are seeking a talented professional to join your team, or wanting to find your next opportunity, get in touch with a specialist consultant today.
