{"id":101677,"date":"2023-05-08T15:47:00","date_gmt":"2023-05-08T19:47:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=101677"},"modified":"2023-05-10T10:11:34","modified_gmt":"2023-05-10T14:11:34","slug":"productivity-paranoia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/productivity-paranoia\/","title":{"rendered":"Productivity Paranoia: Experts Explain the Challenges"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>What is productivity paranoia? What problems does it cause? How can we overcome it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While 87% of employees in hybrid jobs feel they\u2019re working productively, only 12% of leaders agree. Experts claim that productivity paranoia is driving this discrepancy, causing employers to rely more heavily on tracking software to monitor workers&#8217; every move. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Read on to learn more about productivity paranoia and the challenges it presents, according to experts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Productivity Paranoia, According to Experts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The expansion of remote and hybrid work during the Covid-19 pandemic introduced a new type of work anxiety: A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/worklab\/work-trend-index\/hybrid-work-is-just-work\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2022 study<\/a> revealed that 87% of employees in hybrid jobs feel they\u2019re working productively, but only 12% of leaders agree\u2014which leads some bosses to monitor workers\u2019 every move. What\u2019s behind this discrepancy? Chalk it up to \u201cproductivity paranoia.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What is productivity paranoia? How does it impact managers and workers? Are there ways to fight back against it? We\u2019ll explore experts\u2019 opinions on these questions.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-productivity-paranoia\">What Is Productivity Paranoia?&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Productivity paranoia is when <strong>leaders and managers in hybrid and remote work structures <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/worklab\/work-trend-index\/hybrid-work-is-just-work\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>believe workers aren\u2019t being productive enough<\/strong><\/a><strong>\u2014<\/strong>despite the fact that employees are working more hours and attending more meetings than ever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>85% of leaders lack confidence in remote workers\u2019 productivity.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Between February 2020 and March 2022, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/worklab\/work-trend-index\/great-expectations-making-hybrid-work-work\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">weekly meetings increased by 153%<\/a> globally.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Experts attribute productivity paranoia to several factors, including<\/strong>:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/worklab\/work-trend-index\/hybrid-work-is-just-work\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>A lack of visual cues<\/strong><\/a>. Managers historically assessed worker productivity based on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/worklife\/article\/20221014-the-productivity-paranoia-managers-cant-shake\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">hours they saw them at a desk<\/a>\u2014not employees\u2019 output, which experts say is the more appropriate measure in the current world of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.masterclass.com\/articles\/knowledge-workers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">knowledge work<\/a>. As a result, managers who don\u2019t see workers working unfairly assume that remote employees should produce more work more quickly.<ul><li>49% of hybrid managers <a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/worklab\/work-trend-index\/hybrid-work-is-just-work\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">don\u2019t trust that employees are doing their best work<\/a>, compared with 36% of on-site managers.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fastcompany.com\/90835480\/pandemic-surge-productivity-paranoia\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Faulty productivity beliefs<\/strong><\/a>. Many people believe that being productive is about getting <em>more<\/em> done in less time\u2014but they should instead think of it as<strong> getting the <em>right<\/em> things done in less time<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/worklab\/work-trend-index\/hybrid-work-is-just-work\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Inadequate support<\/strong><\/a>. Workers and managers say they need more help from superiors to be productive:<ul><li>81% of workers want managers\u2019 help with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-prioritize-workload\/\">workload prioritization<\/a>, but just 31% say they get clear guidance.<\/li><li>74% of managers want more guidance from leaders on work prioritization.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-rise-of-employee-monitoring\">The Rise of Employee Monitoring<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Because of productivity paranoia, some <strong>companies are <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/well\/2023\/04\/10\/how-to-fight-productivity-paranoia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>using tracking software<\/strong><\/a><strong>, surveillance cameras, and GPS data to monitor employees\u2019 locations and online activity<\/strong>. There&#8217;s some evidence that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/what-is-bossware\/\">monitoring software<\/a> increases productivity. In one survey, <a href=\"https:\/\/digital.com\/6-in-10-employers-require-monitoring-software-for-remote-workers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">81% of employers reported immediate productivity increases<\/a> after implementing the software, and another found <a href=\"https:\/\/www.business.com\/articles\/employee-monitoring-software-in-office\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">productivity increases of between 26% and 32%<\/a>. Employers also report that the software <a href=\"https:\/\/digital.com\/6-in-10-employers-require-monitoring-software-for-remote-workers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">has helped them to crack down on time theft<\/a> by showing them which workers are wasting time on the job (\u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/abs\/10.1111\/emre.12407\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">cyberloafing<\/a>\u201d).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, experts say this is a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/worklife\/article\/20221014-the-productivity-paranoia-managers-cant-shake\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">misguided attempt to regain visibility of workers<\/a>, when companies should instead adapt to a new work world defined by less visibility and the need to trust. Additionally, monitoring software has been shown to decrease morale, increase turnover, encourage rule-breaking, raise privacy concerns, and fail to truly capture job performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tracking Damages Morale<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Monitoring has been shown to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2451958822000616\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">increase employee stress and decrease job satisfaction<\/a>. It also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/carolinecastrillon\/2022\/11\/16\/why-employee-monitoring-is-doomed-to-backfire\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">weakens trust<\/a> in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-improve-work-relationships\/\">workplace relationships<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/digitalcommons.osgoode.yorku.ca\/cgi\/viewcontent.cgi?article=1354&amp;context=all_papers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">undermines worker autonomy<\/a>. It\u2019s not surprising, therefore, that monitoring <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hrreporter.com\/focus-areas\/culture-and-engagement\/does-employee-surveillance-lead-to-turnover\/361848\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">increases employee turnover<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Productivity Benefits May Be Overstated<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Though many employers see monitoring software as a silver bullet for remote work productivity, the reality is more complicated. The productivity findings are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/more-bosses-are-spying-on-quiet-quitters-it-could-backfire-11663387216\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">mixed at best<\/a>, with one recent study finding <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2451958822000616\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">no relationship between monitoring and productivity<\/a> and another finding <a href=\"https:\/\/web.p.ebscohost.com\/abstract?direct=true&amp;profile=ehost&amp;scope=site&amp;authtype=crawler&amp;jrnl=18434711&amp;AN=158172297&amp;h=xideCnitgX9GTcd3BRQXjzGatPWYV3vJBRwuRYuVlyk8%2buQCrcKRMYJDlbiIPcnunWt0Kd2qZ%2bG2BbfiCcii%2bA%3d%3d&amp;crl=c&amp;resultNs=AdminWebAuth&amp;resultLocal=ErrCrlNotAuth&amp;crlhashurl=login.aspx%3fdirect%3dtrue%26profile%3dehost%26scope%3dsite%26authtype%3dcrawler%26jrnl%3d18434711%26AN%3d158172297\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a negative relationship<\/a>. Some of the reported increases should also be taken with a healthy dose of skepticism: The 26%\u201332% figure was reported by Workpuls, a monitoring software company that was studying its own product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Employee Tracking Can Backfire<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Tracking software can make employees more\u2014not less\u2014likely to break the rules. Employees who know they\u2019re being monitored may <a href=\"https:\/\/hbr.org\/2022\/06\/monitoring-employees-makes-them-more-likely-to-break-rules\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">take more breaks, ignore directives, dawdle through their work, and cheat on tasks<\/a>. Monitored employees also figure out <a href=\"https:\/\/optimushive.com\/how-to-trick-employee-monitoring-software\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ways to game the system<\/a>: They might use a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.digitaltrends.com\/computing\/what-are-mouse-jigglers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">mouse jiggler<\/a>, have multiple windows open, use a decoy monitor, figure out the intervals between screenshots, or even find and modify the program\u2019s source code.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tracking Software Doesn\u2019t Measure the Right Thing<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Tracking software measures time in front of the computer, keystrokes, and onscreen work progress. But the software is blind to time spent thinking, planning, working with pen and paper, and exercising soft skills like leadership.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are also some jobs it\u2019s clearly not suited to. One health organization, for example, now <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/interactive\/2022\/08\/14\/business\/worker-productivity-tracking.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">registers its social workers as idle<\/a> when they\u2019re talking with patients or visiting rehab centers, which reduces their salary. In an even more macabre twist, another organization <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/interactive\/2022\/08\/14\/business\/worker-productivity-tracking.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">forced its hospice chaplains to earn \u201cproductivity points\u201d<\/a>: 1 point for visiting a dying person; 1\u00be points for attending a funeral; \u00bc point for calling bereaved family members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">There Are Privacy Concerns<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Fourteen percent of employers say <a href=\"https:\/\/digital.com\/6-in-10-employers-require-monitoring-software-for-remote-workers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">they\u2019re monitoring workers without their knowledge<\/a>. While this is legal in some places, governments are increasingly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nysenate.gov\/legislation\/laws\/CVR\/52-C%2A2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">requiring employers to disclose monitoring<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bosses also need to be careful about <em>when<\/em> they choose to check up on employees. If they do it outside of working hours, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.inc.com\/will-yakowicz\/drones-catch-employees-having-sex-and-other-employee-monitoring-gone-wrong.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">they face lawsuits<\/a>. Companies with international workforces can run afoul of country-specific privacy laws: A Dutch employee, for example, <a href=\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/2022\/10\/10\/chetu-demanding-employees-webcams-screen-sharing-human-rights-violation-dutch-court-rules\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sued his American firm in a Netherlands court<\/a> for requiring him to keep his webcam switched on. He won.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-fight-productivity-paranoia\">Fight Productivity Paranoia<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Experts say that leaders, managers, and employees in remote work settings can take several steps to combat productivity paranoia and boost productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Managers must <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/well\/2023\/04\/10\/how-to-fight-productivity-paranoia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>build trust and create safe spaces<\/strong><\/a><strong> for remote workers<\/strong>, even when stuck with tracking mandates that stress employees out. Toward that end:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fastcompany.com\/90835480\/pandemic-surge-productivity-paranoia\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Reevaluate employee tasks<\/strong><\/a>. Determine which tasks are necessary and relevant, and have workers focus only on those.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/well\/2023\/04\/10\/how-to-fight-productivity-paranoia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Set clear expectations<\/strong><\/a><strong> about work and non-work times<\/strong>, model these hours for workers, and recognize that people\u2019s workflows differ.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fastcompany.com\/90835480\/pandemic-surge-productivity-paranoia\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Encourage employee breaks<\/strong><\/a>. Give workers permission to recharge, let their minds wander, and daydream to support the brain\u2019s creativity and problem-solving abilities.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/lifestyle\/remote-worker-5-smart-ways-stay-connected-productive\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Focus on quality, not quantity<\/strong><\/a>. When holding virtual meetings, address pressing issues. Once you\u2019ve done that, end the meeting to avoid wasting workers\u2019 time, which fuels burnout.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Employees can alleviate tracking-related anxiety and productivity paranoia with the following tips<\/strong>:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/well\/2023\/04\/10\/how-to-fight-productivity-paranoia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Set a clear workday start and end<\/strong><\/a>. It can be difficult to mentally and physically unplug from remote work when your computer is always within arm\u2019s reach. So, adhere to a strict workday start and end to curb the urge to constantly check emails.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Be clear about when you\u2019re unavailable<\/strong>. Being perpetually \u201con\u201d in a remote job can create unnecessary stress. So, inform colleagues when you are and aren\u2019t available (including on Slack and your calendar).&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Take breaks<\/strong>. Even a 10-minute break can help you recharge. Adults\u2019 attention span is between 90 and 120 minutes and peaks at 45 minutes, so take a 10-minute break every 90 minutes you work to stay focused.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Compartmentalize<\/strong>. When you\u2019re working, focus only on work. When you\u2019re not working, focus exclusively on your personal life. To more easily distinguish between the two situations, block out work and personal life tasks on your calendar.<\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is productivity paranoia? What problems does it cause? How can we overcome it? While 87% of employees in hybrid jobs feel they\u2019re working productively, only 12% of leaders agree. Experts claim that productivity paranoia is driving this discrepancy, causing employers to rely more heavily on tracking software to monitor workers&#8217; every move. Read on to learn more about productivity paranoia and the challenges it presents, according to experts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":28413,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[45,14,30],"tags":[727],"class_list":["post-101677","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","category-management","category-work","tag-articles","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.3 (Yoast SEO v24.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Productivity Paranoia: Experts Explain the Challenges - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"What is productivity paranoia? Learn about the rise in remote employee tracking and why managers think workers aren&#039;t being productive enough.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/productivity-paranoia\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Productivity Paranoia: Experts Explain the Challenges\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"What is productivity paranoia? Learn about the rise in remote employee tracking and why managers think workers aren&#039;t being productive enough.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/productivity-paranoia\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Shortform Books\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-05-08T19:47:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-05-10T14:11:34+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/wordpress.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/do-more.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1173\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"681\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Emily Kitazawa\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Emily Kitazawa\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/productivity-paranoia\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/productivity-paranoia\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Emily Kitazawa\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/e094024454c7d3334a149c0cf039bdeb\"},\"headline\":\"Productivity Paranoia: Experts Explain the Challenges\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-05-08T19:47:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-05-10T14:11:34+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/productivity-paranoia\/\"},\"wordCount\":1229,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/productivity-paranoia\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/do-more.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Articles\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Business\",\"Management\",\"Work\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/productivity-paranoia\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/productivity-paranoia\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/productivity-paranoia\/\",\"name\":\"Productivity Paranoia: Experts Explain the Challenges - Shortform Books\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/productivity-paranoia\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/productivity-paranoia\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/do-more.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-05-08T19:47:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-05-10T14:11:34+00:00\",\"description\":\"What is productivity paranoia? Learn about the rise in remote employee tracking and why managers think workers aren't being productive enough.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/productivity-paranoia\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/productivity-paranoia\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/productivity-paranoia\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/do-more.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/do-more.jpg\",\"width\":1173,\"height\":681},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/productivity-paranoia\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Productivity Paranoia: Experts Explain the Challenges\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Shortform Books\",\"description\":\"The World&#039;s Best Book Summaries\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Shortform Books\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/logo-equilateral-with-text-no-bg.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/logo-equilateral-with-text-no-bg.png\",\"width\":500,\"height\":74,\"caption\":\"Shortform Books\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/e094024454c7d3334a149c0cf039bdeb\",\"name\":\"Emily Kitazawa\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0f5c60fcdcf3b7cd02c2882334c15a3d02f74a69631c696c3bce47deb21dc9ac?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0f5c60fcdcf3b7cd02c2882334c15a3d02f74a69631c696c3bce47deb21dc9ac?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Emily Kitazawa\"},\"description\":\"Emily found her love of reading and writing at a young age, learning to enjoy these activities thanks to being taught them by her mom\u2014Goodnight Moon will forever be a favorite. As a young adult, Emily graduated with her English degree, specializing in Creative Writing and TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language), from the University of Central Florida. She later earned her master\u2019s degree in Higher Education from Pennsylvania State University. Emily loves reading fiction, especially modern Japanese, historical, crime, and philosophical fiction. Her personal writing is inspired by observations of people and nature.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/author\/emily-kitazawa\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Productivity Paranoia: Experts Explain the Challenges - Shortform Books","description":"What is productivity paranoia? Learn about the rise in remote employee tracking and why managers think workers aren't being productive enough.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/productivity-paranoia\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Productivity Paranoia: Experts Explain the Challenges","og_description":"What is productivity paranoia? Learn about the rise in remote employee tracking and why managers think workers aren't being productive enough.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/productivity-paranoia\/","og_site_name":"Shortform Books","article_published_time":"2023-05-08T19:47:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2023-05-10T14:11:34+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1173,"height":681,"url":"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/wordpress.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/do-more.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Emily Kitazawa","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Emily Kitazawa","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/productivity-paranoia\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/productivity-paranoia\/"},"author":{"name":"Emily Kitazawa","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/e094024454c7d3334a149c0cf039bdeb"},"headline":"Productivity Paranoia: Experts Explain the Challenges","datePublished":"2023-05-08T19:47:00+00:00","dateModified":"2023-05-10T14:11:34+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/productivity-paranoia\/"},"wordCount":1229,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/productivity-paranoia\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/do-more.jpg","keywords":["Articles"],"articleSection":["Business","Management","Work"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/productivity-paranoia\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/productivity-paranoia\/","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/productivity-paranoia\/","name":"Productivity Paranoia: Experts Explain the Challenges - Shortform Books","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/productivity-paranoia\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/productivity-paranoia\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/do-more.jpg","datePublished":"2023-05-08T19:47:00+00:00","dateModified":"2023-05-10T14:11:34+00:00","description":"What is productivity paranoia? Learn about the rise in remote employee tracking and why managers think workers aren't being productive enough.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/productivity-paranoia\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/productivity-paranoia\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/productivity-paranoia\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/do-more.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/do-more.jpg","width":1173,"height":681},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/productivity-paranoia\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Productivity Paranoia: Experts Explain the Challenges"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/","name":"Shortform Books","description":"The World&#039;s Best Book Summaries","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Shortform Books","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/logo-equilateral-with-text-no-bg.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/logo-equilateral-with-text-no-bg.png","width":500,"height":74,"caption":"Shortform Books"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/e094024454c7d3334a149c0cf039bdeb","name":"Emily Kitazawa","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0f5c60fcdcf3b7cd02c2882334c15a3d02f74a69631c696c3bce47deb21dc9ac?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0f5c60fcdcf3b7cd02c2882334c15a3d02f74a69631c696c3bce47deb21dc9ac?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Emily Kitazawa"},"description":"Emily found her love of reading and writing at a young age, learning to enjoy these activities thanks to being taught them by her mom\u2014Goodnight Moon will forever be a favorite. As a young adult, Emily graduated with her English degree, specializing in Creative Writing and TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language), from the University of Central Florida. She later earned her master\u2019s degree in Higher Education from Pennsylvania State University. Emily loves reading fiction, especially modern Japanese, historical, crime, and philosophical fiction. Her personal writing is inspired by observations of people and nature.","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/author\/emily-kitazawa\/"}]}},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/do-more.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/101677","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=101677"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/101677\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":101738,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/101677\/revisions\/101738"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28413"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=101677"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=101677"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=101677"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}