Wells Fargo and other organizations have recently made news for firing employees who simulated keyboard activity to take advantage of their remote working arrangements. But let’s face it. Faking work is nothing new — and it’s not unique to today’s virtual world. Mouse giggling might be the newest and most hi-tech approach, but for years, people who wanted to give the impression of working have used keyboard shortcuts as well as automated and scheduled messages. They’ve turned off cameras to engage in other activities and lied about why calls went unanswered.
Faking work — and other forms of suboptimization — are a long-standing feature of the business landscape. And while it’s tempting to demonize the employees who engage in this sort of deception, it might be time to take a step back, look at the root causes, and consider a more holistic approach to the issue.
Getting to the root of the problem
The phenomenon of an employee artificially jiggling their mouse to appear busy is clearly a symptom of a deeper issue within the workplace. This behavior reflects a fundamental lack of genuine engagement at work. (Gallup’s most recent survey reports that only 30% of employees are engaged, with US engagement hitting an 11-year low.)
Employees who are motivated and engaged in work they find meaningful and satisfying move their mice themselves with purpose, conviction and enthusiasm. And while we’d like to think that motivation is internally driven, the truth is that a range of external forces influence engagement. Not the least of which is leadership. Effective leadership practices play a powerful role in fostering a productive and motivating environment where employees are inspired and able to contribute their best efforts — rather than fake productivity.
From mouse moving to engagement improving
The good news is that dealing with the root cause of disengagement is well within each leader’s sphere of influence. There are countless ways leaders can elevate motivation so employees don’t want to fake work. You can overcome mouse moving with these engagement-improving strategies.
- Create an authentic connection: Take the time to get to know people. Learn about who they are beyond the work. Discover what makes them tick and what they care about. Understand what drives them. Explore their goals and dreams. And let them get to know you as well. Investing in a solid personal relationship lays the foundation for trust and open communication.
- Ensure respect and fairness: Employees are more likely to be genuinely engaged when they feel respected and valued — when they feel like they’re operating on an even playing field. This can be particularly challenging in remote and hybrid environments. So, take care to combat proximity bias, offer opportunities equitably and acknowledge and appreciate contributions generously.
- Make work meaningful: Help people understand the importance of their work. Every job is honorable and necessary and contributes an essential piece to the overall puzzle. Connect the dots between an individual’s work and the organization’s mission. Share customer success stories, highlighting how each person contributed.
- Eliminate obstacles: Roadblocks are the quickest route to disengagement. Make it hard for people to perform, and they’ll stop trying. So, identify and remove obstacles that hinder employee performance. Address persistent pain points. Even when you aren’t 100% successful at doing so, employees appreciate the effort.
- Facilitate growth and development: People who are learning, experimenting, and expanding their capabilities don’t have the time — nor the interest — in faking work. Discover how each employee wants to grow. Explore high-impact skills that will elevate performance. Co-create plans to integrate development into their daily work. You — and they — will enjoy the dual benefits of improved engagement and results.
While fake work is an employee problem, it’s also a leadership opportunity. Instead of relying on surveillance or monitoring tools, leaders should encourage organic engagement by facilitating authentic connection, demonstrating respect and fairness, offering meaningful work, removing obstacles and ensuring that employees are developing. While it may not leave people actively giggling, it will at least reduce the mouse jiggling.
Opinions expressed by SmartBrief contributors are their own.
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