What is 'ghostworking'? Inside the growing trend of employees pretending to work

In what reflects a lack of meaningful work and rising burnout among employees, many 9-to-5 workers are now resorting to a growing phenomenon called ' ghostworking '. The trend involves employees going to great lengths to appear busy while doing very little actual work. A recent survey by Resume Now found that 58% of employees admit to faking productivity, with many even using company time to job hunt.

The survey has brought to light some interesting insights into the dull and unfulfilling work lives of employees who seem to be grappling with declining morale due to lack of appreciation and work satisfaction.

According to the findings, employees are increasingly resorting to fake meetings, typing random words, or other superficial displays of busyness just to get through the day.

While this may seem like simple shirking of responsibility, the issue runs deeper, reflecting not just disengagement, but growing disillusionment, particularly among Gen Z, with traditional work structures.

“With burnout, career uncertainty and remote work blurring boundaries, employees are increasingly exploring new opportunities during the workday,” noted the experts.

The survey, which included responses from 1,100 U.S. workers, identified a number of factors behind ghostworking: office pressures, micromanagement, a lack of meaningful tasks, and unclear job expectations all contribute to the trend.

To convince their managers they are working hard, 23% of ghostworkers walk around the office with a notebook, while 22% randomly type gibberish on their keyboards to simulate productivity.

An astonishing 15% pretend to be on phone calls, while another 15% keep spreadsheets open while browsing unrelated content. Interestingly, only 12% go as far as scheduling fake meetings to avoid actual work.

The survey also suggests a widespread dissatisfaction with current jobs, as many workers are actively seeking new employment during office hours. About 24% of respondents admitted to editing their résumés at work, while 23% applied for new jobs using work computers. Nearly 20% took recruiter calls during their shifts, and 19% even sneaked out of their cubicles to attend interviews.

Amid this growing workplace crisis, researchers offer a simple but powerful recommendation for employers.

“[Balance] accountability with autonomy. [Give] employees the tools and trust they need to actually be productive, not just look busy,” the survey advised.

Feeling like you are just pretending to work? You are not alone. Ghostworking is a symptom, not the problem. Trust and purpose may change everything.
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