When office duties began to rise after the pandemic, new issues were presented to many workers who have become accustomed to doing tasks remotely at home (and at their own pace). In the office, you should always look busy, as is known as performance productivity. According to Madeline Mann, a professional career coach, it led to a new job trend for burnt-out Gen Z office workers: “task masking.”
“Task masking looks busy doing important tasks when you often maintain your appearance,” explains Mann. This said it might seem like they’ll schedule emails to leave all day.
A recent poll from Tech Company Workhuman shows that over a third of UK workers admit to engage in “fake productivity.” Mann adds that “task masking” is closely tied to another workplace trend that increased steam in 2022. “You can draw a connection between masking the task and a quiet resignation.
Unlike quiet smoking cessation (where employees may start to put less effort visible on important tasks), Mann points out that task masking can actually help them get promoted, but can lead to dangerous situations in the future. There’s everything you need to know about masking tasks and how to shift your career approach without burning out.
Why is task masking so popular with Gen Z?
As Mann observes, Gen Z is a distinctly different generation from millennials, Gen X, or Boomers in terms of workplace attitudes.
“When we talk to educators and managers who have seen decades of young people coming, we note that there is a difference in Gen Z’s ability to develop soft skills and Z’s anxiety about human interaction,” Mann says. “This could be attributed to Gen Z being the first digital native generation to skip many of the social interactions that the rest of us had.” According to a 2023 study in Science Journal Heliyon, having soft skills such as empathy, communication skills and flexibility is important to stay ahead of the workplace.
Still, as Mann says, Gen Z members are not dummy. “Gen Z is learning how to play corporate games, but we are watching corporate games evolve rapidly as remote work in the workplace, AI and new technologies increase,” she says. She points out that this will help you quickly find ways to do less work without getting a penalty.
How task masking becomes dangerous
As Mann explains, yes – task masking may look quite good in the short term. What about your long-term career strategy? There’s a problem. “Task masking can hurt younger employees because they don’t have the measurable value and outcomes that young employees show for their work. “It’s important to show clear contributions that lead to results when each role is being scrutinized for layoffs and exchanged for AI.”
How to Shift Your Career Approach Without Burning Out
1. Acknowledge the fact that your current role may not be appropriate.
With each 2024 survey of Asian Management and Business Review Magazine, millennials and Gen Z workers who are unhappy about their jobs tend to have less motivation, less engagement, and may engage in behaviors such as task masking and quiet smoking cessation.
At this point, Mann advises that it is important to be honest with himself. “If you find yourself avoiding work, having trouble focusing, or mentally exhausted by the end of the day, those are clear signs you are on the wrong career path,” she explains. “I was a high-performance junior employee working in HR as I worked with miserable tasks and then moved to a career that I played to my strengths.”
2. Set healthy boundaries by focusing on “high impact tasks”
As Mann explains, you should try to make it look like a place to count. “It’s not always available to the business, but it’s important to be visible. “It includes saying something every day with instant messenger that many people see, updating your manager every week and checking in with key stakeholders throughout your business every month. These three actions alone can be amazing.”
3. Set the metrics for the actual progress tracking
Depending on your role, Mann recommends presenting his boss with his own metrics to track. This helps to retain a sense of control (masking of previously provided tasks may have been provided). “Try setting up a daily or weekly check-in with an overview of what your boss has achieved, what your priorities are, and where you’re stuck,” suggests Mann.
result? “The boss will help you realize your achievements, unlock problems and advise you on whether your priorities are correct,” explains Mann. “If your boss asks you to do something you don’t have time, you need to ask which of the other projects you should strip you up and focus on this new project.”
The bottom line means that if you continue to accept work beyond your ability just to show that you are a team player, you may send a message that you are not busy in the first place. “So this visibility into this workload will help your boss see how much you are working on and you’re more likely to appreciate it,” she adds.
What is USA Today Top Workplaces 2025?
Do you work for a great company? Each year, USA Today Top Workplaces is a collaboration between Energage and USA Today, ranking US organizations that excel at creating positive work environments for their employees. Employee feedback determines the winner.
In 2025, over 1,500 companies were recognized as the best workplaces. Check out our overall rankings. You can also get more insight into workplace trends and advice by checking out the links below.
