Busy Doing Nothing: How to Spot a Workplace Pretender
Some employees somehow skate by without doing much real work—yet they still collect a paycheck. You might see them typing away or hopping in and out of meetings, but something feels off. The truth is, looking busy and being productive are two very different things. In fact, some workers spend more energy on hiding their inactivity than doing their actual job.
Sarah Sharkey, a personal finance writer for FinanceBuzz, puts it bluntly: “Although some of these employees may appear productive, looking busy is entirely different from actually doing their job. In fact, they might be busy building up a side hustle to earn extra income instead of focusing on their day job.”
So how can you tell when a coworker isn’t pulling their weight? Here are some common signs:
1. They Master the Art of Looking Busy
From walking around with a clipboard to typing furiously with no results, they know how to look occupied. You rarely see output—just activity. They might open and close the same documents or join meetings where they barely speak.
Watch for: Repeated busywork, vague updates, and excessive multitasking that leads nowhere.
2. They’re Always in Meetings—But Never Deliver
They spend hours on Zoom or in conference rooms, but you never see the outcomes. When deadlines come around, there are excuses: someone else dropped the ball, or they're waiting on a file.
Watch for: Constant scheduling, no visible follow-through, and fuzzy accountability.
3. Their Emails and Messages Say a Lot—But Mean Little
They love corporate jargon and vague language. You’ll read a long Slack message or email and still have no idea what they’re saying.
Watch for: Buzzwords, wordy replies, or CC'ing lots of people without real substance.
4. They Blame, Deflect, or Stay Quiet
When a project falls apart, they’re never responsible. Either someone else messed up, or they disappear from the conversation entirely. You rarely hear them admit to a mistake.
Watch for: Excuse-making, ghosting in team threads, or throwing others under the bus.
5. They’re Always "Researching" or "Planning"
Planning is essential—but endless planning without execution is a red flag. If your coworker is always in "prep mode" and never reaches "go mode," they might be stalling.
Watch for: Repeated strategy sessions with no outcomes or constant requests for more time.
6. Their Tasks Are Always Just Out of Sight
They claim to be working on "background" tasks that are hard to track. This makes it easy to say they’re contributing without proving anything.
Watch for: Projects you can’t verify, updates that never turn into deliverables, or tasks that mysteriously get reassigned.
7. They’re Building a Side Hustle on the Clock
In some cases, they are working hard—just not for your company. They might be answering clients, writing freelance articles, or running an online store while pretending to do their job.
Watch for: Lots of time on personal email, mysterious Zoom calls, or an obvious second business.
8. Their Performance Reviews Are Always "Fine"
Some disengaged workers fly under the radar because they do just enough to avoid consequences. They’re not great, not terrible—just forgettable.
Watch for: Vague feedback, minimal goals, and zero initiative for growth or learning.
9. Colleagues Quietly Carry Their Weight
If your team consistently struggles with deadlines or one person is overloaded, it's often because someone else is slacking. The worst part? High-performers usually compensate for it in silence.
Watch for: Uneven workloads and private complaints that don’t reach management.
Final Thoughts: What You Can Do
Spotting a low-effort coworker is one thing. Dealing with it professionally is another. If it affects your workload or team morale, keep notes and bring it up tactfully with a manager. Use specific examples—not gossip.
Sometimes people are struggling behind the scenes, not slacking on purpose. But when it becomes a pattern, it’s worth addressing.
Productivity isn’t about being visible. It’s about delivering results.
