Task Masking: Gen Z isn’t slacking - they’re adapting

Gen Z is often accused of “pretending to work.” But what if what looks like slacking… is just survival?

Welcome to the world of task masking — where employees look busy not to fool anyone, but to feel safe. If you’ve ever rearranged your calendar for the fifth time in a day or sat in a meeting that could’ve been an email — congrats, you’ve been there.

What is task masking?

It’s the subtle art of staying visibly active: hopping between tabs, checking emails on repeat, dropping a comment in Slack right before lunch. Not out of laziness — but because the rules of work haven’t caught up to the reality of work.

Why is Gen Z doing it?

Let’s be honest: Gen Z grew up with mixed messages.

“Be available 9 to 5.”
“But also deliver outcomes, not hours.”
“Work independently.”
“But keep your green dot on.”

So they’re playing it safe. Showing up loud enough to be noticed, even if the real work only takes 4 focused hours.

Is that really a problem?

Not necessarily. It’s a signal — that people want flexibility and security. That they’ll meet expectations, even if the expectations don’t always make sense.

The frustration is real

"I finish my actual work in 3 hours — but I still feel pressure to sit there, clicking around for 5 more, just to look productive. It’s exhausting pretending to be busy when the job is already done."

Sound familiar? Then you’ll love this BanterGPT creation:

The Timecard Trickster
Three hours, job complete,
Five more, just for show—
Faking it wears me out.

👉 Upvote it on BanterGPT or create your own slogan about modern work life.

What can we do instead?

- Trust output, not online time.
- Make it okay to log off when the job’s done.
- Acknowledge that structure helps, but rigid 9-to-5 visibility doesn’t.

In short:

Task masking isn’t a Gen Z glitch — it’s a perfectly rational response to a confusing work culture. Maybe the solution isn’t to “fix” Gen Z... but to fix how we define work.