How Work Management Software Can Eliminate Productivity Paranoia

March 16, 2023 - 10 min read

Emily Westbrooks

Have you heard about productivity paranoia lately? Are you starting to feel paranoid about productivity paranoia? You’re not alone. In fact, here at Wrike, we’ve been talking about how managers can get a handle on what employees are working on — for years. Increasing visibility and transparency for managers and employees alike — that’s our jam.

Productivity paranoia is the idea that managers and employers aren’t confident in the productivity of their employees, especially if they work remotely part or all of the time. If you don’t report to the office and log a certain number of hours in meetings or at your computer, are you really hitting maximum productivity?

The concept of productivity paranoia has hit the internet lately, and here’s why. Late last year, Microsoft released results from a wide-ranging survey it completed, where it asked 20,000 customers in 11 countries about their opinions on work trends, productivity, and hybrid work. Microsoft also went so far as to analyze “trillions of Microsoft 365 productivity signals, along with LinkedIn labor trends and Glint People Science findings.” It gathered a ton of data and released a survey report urging business leaders to end productivity paranoia.

While Microsoft’s report stated that 87% of employees report they are productive at work, a staggering “85% of leaders say that the shift to hybrid work has made it challenging to have confidence that employees are being productive.” That disconnect can be crippling for companies and can lead to wide-ranging detrimental effects.

If you’ve found productivity paranoia creeping into your leadership style lately, we’ve got good news for you: an effective work management platform can alleviate that fear and bring trust back into your organization.

But before we get into the benefits of work management for productivity, let’s look deeper at the causes and effects of productivity paranoia.

The causes of productivity paranoia

Productivity paranoia has definitely garnered more attention because of the rise of hybrid and remote work, but it’s an area we’ve been looking at since before the COVID-19 crisis began. When remote work was forced upon millions of workers instantly, we knew transparency was going to be the name of the game. Managers and employers weren’t used to being a step removed from their employees and, unfortunately, many employers simply didn’t trust their employees to get the job done on their own.

But productivity paranoia can be caused by other management issues as well. From unclear expectations to overloaded employees, productivity paranoia can creep in through these main routes:

Unclear or unattainable expectations

When managers or employers have unclear or unattainable expectations of their employees, it becomes increasingly difficult, or indeed impossible, for employers to see the results they’re looking for. If employees aren’t crystal-clear on what their outcomes should be, employers will begin searching for productivity results that just won’t materialize.

Low trust between employers and employees

Think about it: when you know or suspect someone doesn’t trust you to get a job done, you don’t feel better about the work you’re putting in. You may perform faster or try harder but, in the long run, you simply wish your skills and expertise could be trusted to deliver. The same can be said for the employee-employer relationship. Trust is critical for long-term productivity.

Sub-optimal workloads or workflows

If your team always gets held up at a certain stage of your workflow, but your manager never adjusts the process to eliminate that roadblock, productivity is going to suffer and employers are going to become frustrated. Likewise, when workloads are too packed to allow employees breathing room to gear up for another project, this can cause a drop in productivity as well as project quality.

The negative outcomes of productivity paranoia

Look, nothing good comes from productivity paranoia, especially not higher productivity. In fact, we know from our own survey into the Dark Matter of Work that poor employee engagement is a major factor that causes wasted time and lost productivity.

Here are just a few negative effects productivity paranoia has on companies:

Employee surveillance

We’ve made our thoughts on employee surveillance clear in this blog post already, but we’ll recap in case you missed it. You don’t need employee surveillance software, you need work management software. Employee surveillance breaks down trust and kills employee morale. That’s exactly what you don’t want when you’re hoping to increase productivity.

Employee burnout

Productivity paranoia can lead to higher productivity — to a point. But when employees are working at maximum capacity at all times because they’re penalized if they don’t produce, employee burnout is just around the corner.

Lower employee engagement

Productivity paranoia is one of the reasons employers are forcing people back into offices in person, contrary to the hybrid or flexible working options many employees say they want. When employees feel they’re being pushed back into the office because they aren’t trusted to do their best work without someone over their shoulder, that can lead to lower employee engagement.

None of these outcomes are positive, and none of these outcomes will lead to increased productivity in the long run. Employers may see higher rates of productivity for a period of time, but they run the risk of employee turnover that will cost them greatly.

What can prevent or solve productivity paranoia?

Well, managers and employers need to make sure they’re setting clear expectations with their teams. That’s paramount to ensuring that employees are set up for success. Create achievable productivity goals, make sure they’re visible to employees and understood, and ensure they can be measured over time — preferably in a way that allows both employers and employees to get an understanding of what roadblocks might be causing lower productivity.

While it might seem counterintuitive, productivity increases when workers have time to recharge. No one can go full-tilt 100% of the time. That just leads to burnout, which, in turn, leads to lower productivity in the long term.

That’s where accurate resource allocation and bespoke workflows come in. When managers are able to easily visualize workloads and adjust them based on employee capacity, employees can enjoy periods of recharging that will fuel future productivity.

Finally — and, we believe, most importantly — work management software can prevent productivity paranoia. No, seriously. We use Wrike for our own workflows every day, so we’ve experienced the results for ourselves. When managers can visualize project progress at a glance and manage workloads with a few clicks, everyone feels more confident in the processes we’ve set up, which deliver maximum results.

Productivity paranoia isn’t unfounded; in 2022 the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that productivity was at its lowest point since WWII, likely due to the rampant proliferation of apps that sprouted during the pandemic. Those apps that were designed to enable remote work have started costing workers valuable time, and we know that a single source of truth can help bring apps into one platform.

Work management software brings transparency and visibility, which are absolutely critical in combating productivity paranoia. When managers can visualize a team’s or employee’s progress, they don’t need to hound them for status updates. Or when an employer can dig into the analytics of a campaign and instantly determine what’s working and what’s not, they don’t need to demand that employees sit at their desks from nine to five every day.

We believe work management allows business leaders to focus on results without micromanaging or belittling their employees. They can see the big picture easily and, when necessary, they can dig into the finer details if a problem arises. In the long run, work management brings teams together in a collaborative way that builds trust and empowers employees to do their best work. We’d call that a win-win.

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Emily Westbrooks

Emily Westbrooks is a Content Marketing Manager at Wrike. She brings over a decade of experience as a freelance journalist, editor, blogger, and author to the Wrike blog, where she writes about the latest trends in work management, what’s on the horizon for the future of work, and how work and life intersect in meaningful ways. Emily joined Wrike in 2020 at our Dublin office, and relocated to Houston, Texas, in 2022 with her husband and kids, Maya, Noah, Angelina, and Laylabelle. After spending over a decade in rainy Ireland, she enjoys being outside in the sunshine with her family as much as possible — hiking, running, walking, and swimming.

#Thought Leadership #Project Managers #Employee Productivity

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We all wish we could be more productive, creative, and satisfied with our work responsibilities, performance, and results. Wouldn't it be great if you were the best you could be — brainstorming ideas, solving problems, and maintaining zen as you grow in your career and tackle more challenging issues? But these days, due to post-pandemic fatigue and many other stressors at home and work, many professionals are burnt out and searching for new inspiration to re-engage with the world and contribute better at work. Alpha brainwaves are a natural solution — an optimal brain state we can learn to tap into for improved productivity and creativity. This article discusses alpha brainwaves and their effects. We’ll discuss what they are, their top benefits, and tips to control your alpha brain frequency for better performance at work. Let’s begin. What are brainwaves? At any point in time, billions of neurons in our brains are communicating with each other using electrical signals. These signals generate movements or oscillations known as brainwaves or frequency. Brainwaves are formed when groups of neurons send signals to other groups of neurons. There are five main types of brainwaves differentiated by their frequency range. Each one is associated with different types of brain activity and states of consciousness. They are measured in cycles per second or Hertz (Hz) frequency ranges. Types of brainwaves Let’s take a look at the five brainwaves: 1. Delta waves Generally between 0.5 and 3 Hz, delta waves are the most sleepy waves. As you sleep, your brain moves through different sleep cycles. When you’re in deep sleep, your brain produces delta waves, which help with physical restoration, memory, and learning. 2. Theta waves As you begin to awaken, your brain activates by producing theta waves. These measure between 3 and 8 Hz and take you from sleepy and inactive repose to a more wakeful state. 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This 2012 scientific study infers that alpha brainwaves can help suppress distractions, especially when the distractions are anticipated or expected. Using neurofeedback, test subjects could increase alpha brainwave activity to boost their attention levels and achieve set goals. If you find yourself in a less productive state than you’d like to be in — for example, frazzled at work and unable to keep up with your tasks — pause and try one of the alpha brainwave-inducing techniques listed below. They’ll help you produce alpha waves as needed. Or tune into a better-suited brainwave to get you through your to-do list. Learning to control your brainwaves better is a part of biohacking. You apply biological knowledge and lessons from experiences to be the best possible version of yourself. Creativity Overwork, stress, and non-stop work saps your mental energy and kills creativity. The brain needs moments to pause and recharge to connect dots between experiences and problems to be solved. When you deprive yourself of rest, you deprive your brain of alpha brainwave production. Alpha waves in the brain induce creative thinking and new solutions. If your work entails imaginative input and expression, learning to influence your alpha states can help you work efficiently and reach your full creative potential. Take regular breaks between work hours to recharge and rest your brain so it can produce more alpha waves. It may seem counterintuitive to take breaks when you have a lot to do, but it is better for your creativity and performance in the long run. Happiness Alpha brainwaves are dominant when you are in the present, not forcing anything. This meditative mood lulls you into a flow state where you are too immersed ‘in the now’ to worry about other things. This increases your happiness levels and alleviates symptoms of anxiety, stress, and depression as your mind stays free and focused on the task at hand. Happiness is often based on what we perceive, not actual reality. 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Examples of such activities include: Practicing mindfulness Meditating and meditative practices Listening to brainwave music Going on a nature walk Deep breathing and breath work Drinking lots of water Stretching and doing yoga Being in nature Entering into the flow state Using wearable devices with EEG sensors Let’s take a look at a few of these in detail. Hydration Drinking water throughout the day has significant positive effects on physical and mental performance. The human brain needs water to function well. A constant supply helps it produce more alpha waves, calm the brain’s electrical activity, and regulate focus. A study that tested performance on a simulated driving test found that minor to moderate levels of dehydration (water loss of Fueling your body with water allows your brain to replenish and sustain energy throughout the day, especially at work. Always keep a bottle of water close to you to remind yourself to drink. You can also set reminders to stay hydrated on busy days. Deep breathing Taking long, bellyful breaths while focusing on nothing but your breathing is a time-proven way to bring oneself back to the present, interrupt unwanted thoughts, calm anxieties, and increase alpha brainwaves. Before you begin a workday or whenever things get chaotic, take a moment to close your eyes and turn your attention inward as you take a few long, deep, slow breaths. You can produce alpha waves by recreating your sleep or wake-up ritual – i.e., when you stop trying to focus on anything and try to relax instead. The popular 4-7-8 breathing technique involves inhaling for four seconds, holding the breath for seven seconds, and exhaling for eight seconds. Meditating while breathing deeply boosts alpha brainwave production. Combined, they help to release tension, minimize stress, and get you in a better headspace to create meaningful work. Listening to music Listening to brainwave music using headphones is one of the quickest and easiest ways to activate alpha waves in the brain. It’s a shortcut. Choose a soundtrack made to stimulate alpha brainwave frequencies and begin focused work. Certain kinds of music are better suited to create a serene environment, e.g., low-fidelity (Lo-Fi), instrumental, binaural, isochronic, and white noise tracks. These kinds of music can induce your brain to stimulate alpha brainwaves and create a calm, creative, and productive mental state. If your office, home, or co-working space is often noisy or you need to relax while thinking through a work problem, put on headphones and brainwave music to block distractions and lull your brain into a productive trance. 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You need work management software that can help set teams up for success, with functionalities including: Task and project management Task delegation and assignments Project timelines and shared views In-app @mentions for communication and updates Automated reminders to keep teams on track without mental or communication clutter Time tracking functionalities to measure productivity and task requirements Folders and subfolders for organizing multiple projects efficiently Review and approval functionalities for creative teams and departments to get work done faster Automated, in-depth reports to measure organizational performance over time Integrations with other business-critical tools to ensure a smooth and seamless workflow and tech stack Wrike’s work management platform provides all these and more. Our software caters to teams of all sizes, from professional service providers to enterprise project management teams. If you’re ready to take charge and significantly boost your team’s productivity from the personal to the team level, you’re in luck — Wrike helps brilliant teams enhance productivity and improve performance and results. Get started with a free two-week trial.

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How Work Management Software Can Eliminate Productivity Paranoia