What is taskmasking? Inside the TikTok trend that shows Gen Zers how to disguise their laziness at work
At this rate, it’s difficult to get past two weeks without stumbling across a new hit piece about Gen Zers and their supposedly lacking work ethic. We are frequently reprimanded for being lazy, demanding, overly sensitive, and uncommitted to our jobs. The rise of TikTok trends like ‘quiet quitting’, ‘acting your wage’, ‘lazy girl jobs’, and now ‘taskmasking’ have only further contributed to this unfair perception. However, it’s easy to judge without taking a closer look at what is driving these trends, and how Gen Zers are actually redefining productivity on their own terms, instead of burning out in the name of hustle culture.
@goodmorningbritain But is Gen-Z lazy in the workplace? The Gen-Z generation have been accused of prioritising buying avocados and Netflix over houses. And now Oscar-winning actor Jodie Foster has described them as "really annoying" to work with. #genz #genzvsmillenial #debate #goodmorningbritain #susannareid #jodiefoster
♬ original sound - GoodMorningBritain - GoodMorningBritain
Taskmasking is when employees make it seem like they are doing a ton of work, when in reality, they’re barely doing anything. Ever been confused when your coworker spent an entire hour aggressively nodding in a Zoom meeting, only to ask, ‘Wait, what was the question?’ at the end? A clear sign of taskmasking!
Ever wondered why someone eagerly volunteers to do every minor office task, such as cleaning the whiteboard, picking up drug store supplies, or getting parcels from the reception? They are probably just trying to avoid doing their actual job, aka, taskmasking!
Does someone have an excel sheet open at all times with random numbers and colour-coded cells but somehow their biggest daily accomplishment is changing fonts? That’s not a busy schedule, that’s taskmasking!
It should be noted that it’s not just Gen Zers pulling off these elegant tricks to do some online shopping or plan their next holiday to Malaga during work hours.
Faking productivity is an age-old skill, practised and perfected by many generations before us. If I can fault my generation for one thing, it’s only being so obnoxiously vocal about it on TikTok.
@gabrielle_judge You can task mask if you got your work done for the day #toxicworkplace #theoffice #greenscreen
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@g3nairgirl Im just staring at my email #corporate #corproatelife #corporategirlies #careeradvice #9to5life #tech
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I mean, if you’re going to schedule a bunch of fake meetings like ‘Strategic Workflow Alignment Session’, ‘Operational Efficiency Calibration Meeting,’ or ‘Cross-Departmental Synergy Review’ to catch up on Love Island or your sleep, at least have the decency to keep it a trade secret.
Maybe, just maybe, don’t put it on TikTok with the hashtags #10%workand90%netflixandchill, #timeoptimisation, #masterofdeception. Just a thought.
It might surprise you just how many managers are browsing through these exact hashtags to catch their employees slacking off…
Still, it’s not fair to judge and condemn an entire generation without properly understanding the causes and motivations behind such techniques.
Is taskmasking on employees or their bosses?
When your team pretends to work, it signals something isn’t right with the company structure or management. People don’t fake work when they’re inspired, challenged, and clear about their purpose, according to Forbes, as these are things that Gen Zers are very big on in the workplace.
They are actually massive sources of untapped potential that can fuel a company’s growth if appropriately supported and deployed.
Another major reason why employees are more vocal about these practices is because many employers don’t accommodate for attention disabilities and deficits.
@bhashamukherjee ♬ Peekaboo x Paper Planes by Altégo - ALTÉGO
@neuralferal Masking at work for #neurodivergent people - Why do your #autistic employees do it? #unmaskingautism #maskingautism #autismawareness #autismacceptance #autismatwork #intersectionality #autisticcreator #bipoc #aapi #actuallyautistic #corporatelife #corporateautistic #neurodivergentcorporatesurvival
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The hashtag associated with this trend is actually largely used by people with ADHD (Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder), who claim that standard productivity advice doesn’t work for them.
Thus, they are resorting to tricks that can mask their lacking attention span and repurpose their time in ways more suited towards individuals that require more breaks and easily fall for distractions.
Or in other words, it’s on employers to learn from this trend and implement strategies to make work more manageable for the people they employ. So, get to working Boomers.
