Taskmasking, a burgeoning workplace phenomenon, is redefining how employees navigate office life in a post-pandemic world. Coined to describe employees who pretend to work while engaging in unrelated activities, taskmasking has gained traction as companies enforce a return to the office. Employees often engage in this behavior to appear productive, manifesting in actions such as typing loudly or moving quickly through the office space.
The concept of taskmasking aligns closely with "Larping your job," a term introduced by culture writer Anne Helen Petersen in 2019. Employees engaged in taskmasking might be found performing tasks that bear little relevance to their actual job responsibilities. This behavior is especially prevalent among those who have transitioned back to office environments after remote work became the norm during the pandemic. Major corporations, including Amazon, have mandated office returns, which may be fueling the rise of this trend.
“You can Larp your job in person (holding lots of meetings, staying late and getting there early as a show of ‘presentism’) and digitally (sending lots of emails, spending a lot of time on Slack, or whatever group chat platform your organization uses),” – Anne Helen Petersen
Taskmasking serves as a coping mechanism for employees grappling with the pressure to appear productive in an office setting. Many feel compelled to justify their presence with a façade of busyness. In some cases, taskmasking allows employees to take breaks or avoid work without arousing suspicion. This performative productivity, as it is often termed, aims to impress managers while offering employees a brief respite from their duties.
“They’re going the extra mile to look like they’re working hard while actually hardly working.” – Fortune
A 2021 study highlights that 80% of companies now monitor remote and hybrid workers, potentially contributing to this phenomenon. Taskmasking emerges as a form of rebellion against the incessant demand for productivity, allowing some employees to reclaim control over their work environment. For others, it represents a necessary tactic to endure the workday.
“As far as your manager is concerned, your work is done, so you can just sit at a computer and surf the web,” – Cierra Gross
“You can drum up a conversation with someone to look busy,” – Gabrielle Judge
Cierra Gross, a human resources consultant, has spoken out about the implications of taskmasking on workplace culture. She notes that taskmasking reflects a broader resistance to modern work culture's demands, as employees seek ways to manage expectations without sacrificing personal well-being.
“It is inevitable that there will be people who try to game the system in every company,” – Cierra Gross
Some employees perceive taskmasking as a form of resistance against stringent performance metrics and surveillance. By engaging in this behavior, they challenge the notion that constant activity equates to productivity. Taskmasking allows them to push back against the pressure to be perpetually productive and redefine what it means to contribute meaningfully to their roles.