A new report from project management platform Asana has confirmed our suspicions – busywork and pointless meetings are negatively impacting worker productivity, leading to reduced output.

Analysis of 2,500 UK knowledge workers found more than half (54%) of their time is being spent on busywork, defined as work that’s repetitive and administrative, leaving them with less time for skilled work.

Consequentially, the same number of employees (54%) state their teams rely on a small team of high performers to carry the load.

Many workers are wasting their time

The report revealed two-thirds (67%) of workers engage in so-called ‘productivity theatre,’ where they pretend to be busy without producing meaningful output. Though the report doesn’t detail the cause, previous studies have highlighted a disconnect between workers and managers, where looking busy often counts for more than being quietly productive.

Moreover, an overwhelming majority of UK workers still rely on spreadsheets (96%) and emails (98%), which Asana says is leading to ‘information sprawl’ that’s driving inefficiency. The company found that workers lose an average of nine hours per week searching for information, and a further four hours wasting time in unnecessary meetings. Four in five have also experienced burnout in the past year.

Due to widespread busywork, half (52%) of the respondents fail to see how their work contributes to the company’s overall objectives.

“The last five years have completely reshaped how we work, but too many teams are still stuck in outdated practices that drain productivity. Holding onto these old habits has come at a high cost—leaving teams disconnected and overwhelmed,” noted Dr Rebecca Hinds, head of Asana’s Work Innovation Lab.

Looking ahead, the company places a sizeable emphasis on tech, calling for better AI foundations and tools for managing work. But it also acknowledges the human aspect, highlighting the need for less toxic workplace behavior and more worker and manager accountability.

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