The officer used his watch to hold down a key on his laptop to give colleagues the impression he was working, the BBC reported on 29 June. Instead, the officer went to sleep with the sound of his computer up so that he could answer any calls he received.
An internal misconduct hearing found that the officer used these tactics for most of the working day on more than 30 occasions. At the misconduct hearing, chief constable Rob Nixon described the officer's conduct as "deliberate, dishonest, repeated and persistent".
Ian Moore, managing director at HR consultancy Lodge Court, told HR magazine that work avoidance tactics are indicative of wider workplace problems.
He said: “The use of work avoidance tactics, such as holding down keys to simulate activity, shows a lack of engagement and motivation, and suggests dissatisfaction with job roles, poor management practices, and potentially high levels of stress or burnout.”
Read more: Employee trust has declined since 2022, study finds
When employers suspect an employee of using work avoidance tactics they should ensure they have clear evidence before pursuing disciplinary action, Moore added.
He continued: “When HR suspects work avoidance tactics, they must gather evidence. The best way to do this is to monitor performance and seek input from supervisors. To conduct a fair investigation, meet with the employee to discuss concerns and understand the root causes.
“Then, offer necessary support, such as additional training or workload adjustments, and implement corrective measures such as reinforcing company policies and applying progressive discipline if needed.”
In June, the bank Wells Fargo fired over a dozen employees for faking keyboard activity to trick the company into thinking they were working when they were not, the BBC reported (13 June).
Monitoring employees’ productivity is one way for employers to address such issues, but this approach could lead to a breakdown of trust, suggested Brent Cassell, vice president of advisory at research consultancy Gartner HR.
“Employee monitoring – and the work avoidance tactics that it inspires – is indicative of a broader breakdown of trust between employers and employees,” he said.
“Currently, only 63% of organisations trust their employees. That’s why 71% of employees are now digitally monitored in some way, our October 2023 research revealed.
“Unfortunately, that mistrust runs both ways. Only about half of employees trust their organisation. That’s deeply problematic because employees who don’t trust their organisations are more than three times more likely to leave; they display lower levels of discretionary effort and they’re less likely to share new ideas with their managers.”
Read more: Is radical transparency needed in a high-trust culture?
Kate Palmer, employment services director at HR consultancy Peninsula, emphasised that trust should be backed up with policies for dealing with employees who have underperformed.
She told HR magazine: "Trust employees to work and have the necessary structures in place so that if an employee is not performing as is expected then the appropriate action can be taken in line with the organisation’s internal processes, stated in their employee handbook.”
Moving towards results-driven ways of working, instead of monitoring use of technology, could motivate employees, Cassell added.
“While there will always be some who take advantage of remote working circumstances, to overcome these challenges organisations must continue to create a dynamic workplace that benefits the wider employee group,” he continued.
“Instead of reverting to previous ways of working, leaders should place value on outputs and be result-driven, rather than focusing on time spent in a controlled environment, to ensure employees are accountable for their work output.”
HR could also encourage productivity by helping employees set personal performance goals, Moore noted.
He advised: “HR can boost employee engagement by providing regular feedback, recognition and career growth opportunities. Making tasks more meaningful and offering flexible hours can also improve job satisfaction. To keep employees on track, good supervision and clear performance goals are key, as well as providing stress management resources.”
