Step into many organisations today and you notice an endless flurry of activity. Meetings back-to-back, Teams notifications pinging constantly, and a culture where employees feel the need to prove they are ‘busy’ at all times. On the surface, it looks like progress is happening. But look closer: projects are restarted repeatedly, decisions are delayed or unclear, and teams rely on improvisation rather than process.
Employees come to the office or keep their cameras on during hybrid meetings primarily for visibility. They leave ‘great job team!’ messages or engage in performative acts just to be noticed. Meanwhile, processes are missing, documentation is rare, and knowledge often sits in individual minds rather than shared systems. This creates repeated rework, inefficiency, and confusion.
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Engagement initiatives attempt to fill the void with sweepstakes, parties, or gimmicks that temporarily distract employees but do nothing to build skills or improve outcomes. Learning and development budgets are minimal, and no systems exist to capture knowledge or insights. Creativity suffers, and employees do what is visible rather than what is valuable.
Why does this happen?
Harvard Business Review research confirms that many organisations mistake “busyness” for productivity. The fastest-moving teams are often not the most effective. Amy Edmondson’s research shows that when psychological safety is low, employees avoid questioning decisions or offering new ideas. The combination of high pace, low safety, and weak systems creates a culture where self-preservation becomes the default.
Microsoft’s Work Trend Index reports that in low-trust environments, people increasingly perform rather than produce. Office attendance or time online becomes a way to signal commitment, rather than collaborate. Meanwhile, MIT Sloan research highlights that when processes and knowledge management are absent, employees spend cognitive effort recreating solutions instead of solving strategic problems.
Niceness and visibility as currency
In these workplaces, being agreeable or ‘nice’ is rewarded over thoughtful critique or rigorous problem-solving. Employees focus on gaining visibility through meetings, emails, or working from home policies, which can be exploited for personal benefit. Leadership rarely challenges this because measurement metrics are fuzzy, and the focus is on harmony rather than outcomes.
Without clarity, performance management becomes performative. Employees default to visible actions, while genuine problem-solving, innovation, or knowledge sharing is neglected. Superficial engagement activities, like contests or events, replace meaningful interventions such as cross-team collaboration or development programs.
What can leaders do?
Leaders can shift the culture by focusing on outcomes rather than appearances. Steps include:
- Clarifying expectations and metrics: Make clear what success looks like and how it will be measured.
- Building knowledge systems: Ensure processes, templates, and repositories reduce rework and support creativity.
- Encouraging challenge and dissent: Create safe forums for feedback and constructive critique.
- Investing in learning and development: Replace gimmicks with programs that build capability and encourage innovation.
Organisations that successfully make these shifts are no longer rewarded for being busy. They are measured for their impact, efficiency, and ability to innovate.
Are your employees creating real value or simply trying hard to look like they are?
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