Does Busy Work Drain Employee Productivity? You Make The Call

July 11, 2025

Surveys by Resume Now and MyPerfectResume reveal that a significant portion of U.S. workers feel their time is consumed by tasks that appear productive but yield little real value.

Specifically, 51 percent of the 1,130 employees surveyed by Resume Now in November 2024 reported being frequently bogged down by busy work. Of those, 37 percent said such tasks make up between a quarter and half of their daily workload, while 10 percent responded that more than half of their workday is spent on these low-impact activities.

The report defines busy work as tasks that simulate productivity without contributing to meaningful outcomes, and it warns that this kind of work can lead to frustration, disengagement, and burnout.

The article emphasizes that busy work is not just a personal annoyance but a systemic issue with financial implications for organizations. Resume Now's "Productivity Drain Report" advises employees to focus on high-impact tasks, improve efficiency skills, and seek clarity on expectations to reduce unnecessary work.

However, the report also highlights a lack of agency among workers: 54 percent said they don't have the power to address inefficiencies in their organizations, and only 46 percent believe their employers actively support process improvements.

Another troubling finding is that 44 percent of respondents have experienced multiple projects being abandoned without explanation, which not only wastes resources but also reflects poor organizational planning and prioritization.

Source: https://www.cfo.com/news/workers-decry-lost-productivity-from-busy-work-and-return-to-office/739458/

So, the question for our readers is: Does Busy Work Drain Employee Productivity?

Here is the opinion of one of the McCalmon editorial staff:

Jack McCalmon, Esq.

I think that there is some substance to the notion that process often supplants results and that too much focus on processes leads to inefficiency. The trick is finding balance to have a process that begets efficiency.


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