The Green Status Effect, Performative Work Culture, and Your Bottom Line

We all know that employees do their best work when they feel trusted, not when they’re constantly watched. Yet, 88% of remote workers and 79% of in-office workers still feel the need to demonstrate that they are active and productive.

Much like coffee badging or quiet quitting, the idea of wanting to look productive at work isn’t groundbreaking, but the expectation of being perpetually available—and constantly productive—has gotten worse since the pandemic.

While coffee badging and quiet quitting have been compared to just “checking out” at work, the green status effect signals a deeper anxiety harbored by today’s workforce, which compounds an already-pressing issue, particularly in more junior workers. In fact, 46% of Gen Z workers report feeling stressed.

The green status effect is about more than just morale—it has a measurable impact on how a business operates. When employees feel pressured to appear busy rather than focus on meaningful outcomes, valuable time is lost on low-impact tasks or performative behaviors, like responding immediately to every message or attending unnecessary meetings just to be seen. Over time, this constant impulse to look productive undermines genuine engagement and can lead to burnout.

In this article, we’ll take a look at how performative work culture affects your bottom line, and walk through our best tips for preventing the green status effect in your workplace.

What is the green status effect?

The green status effect refers to employees’ attempts to signal their productivity and value by keeping work and messaging platforms open, displaying a green "active" status. The term describes the pressure employees feel to appear busy, often by maintaining an "active" status on work messaging apps or by being physically present in the office.

How performative work culture affects your bottom line

Workers who are burned out or disengaged are less likely to contribute fresh ideas or take initiative, which can stifle innovation and slow growth. Meanwhile, teams may experience friction as trust breaks down and collaboration suffers. Ultimately, a performative work culture shifts energy away from creativity, strategy, and problem-solving—putting long-term performance and employee retention at risk.

What are the underlying causes of the green status effect?

Employees have always felt some pressure to prove they’re being productive. But that pressure has grown since the pandemic, especially with the rise of return-to-office mandates for all or certain groups of employees.

Nearly a third of managers say their company’s RTO mandate was driven by a desire to track employees more closely—but there’s a disconnect between stated goals and actual employee performance metrics used to track those goals.

The green status effect and its influence on company culture

The green status effect has led many workers to focus more on being visible than on being genuinely productive—whether that means staying logged in all day, sending late-night emails, or making sure they’re seen at their desks.

The pattern is also eroding employee trust, with vague RTO expectations leading a quarter (26%) of employees to feel unsupported by their company.

With trust and flexibility in flux, the green status effect points to a deeper issue: employees are uncertain how their performance is being measured and often feel their company prioritizes organizational performance over company culture. A growing sense of being constantly watched—like a modern-day Big Brother—is chipping away at employee morale and satisfaction.

Many workers express frustration at still experiencing burnout or feeling the effects of pandemic-era stress. In fact, about a third of US workers admit to feeling more burned out than they did a year ago.

According to 2022 data by the World Health Organization, COVID-19 increased the global prevalence of anxiety and depression by 25%. And that staggering increase in mental health struggles hasn’t just evaporated. So if it seems like you, your coworkers, or your employees have been on edge or even apathetic, you’re not alone.

Despite rampant burnout and anxiety, concern with being perceived as “counterproductive,” and feeling like we’re spinning our wheels, most are actually just as productive (if not more productive) than we were pre-pandemic. But because remote and hybrid environments lack the same tangible (though not always reliable) performance metrics of the office, nearly two-thirds (64%) of remote workers admit to maintaining a constant online presence in an attempt to prove their dedication and value to managers and colleagues.

How to prevent the green status effect in the workplace

It’s more important than ever to build a positive workplace culture that values both human connection and meaningful productivity.

Establish clear expectations

Define productivity metrics based on outcomes rather than visibility. (Think: completed projects, goals met, or quality of work.) By emphasizing results—rather than how often someone's online or seen at their desk—employees can focus on doing their best work. Clear expectations align teams and minimize uncertainty, giving employees confidence about where they stand and how to improve.

Promote open communication

Encourage frequent check-ins, one-on-one meetings, and team feedback sessions to create space for people to share concerns, ask questions, and stay aligned. Regular, honest communication builds trust and helps employees feel supported. It also gives managers clarity on workload challenges or burnout risks early on, before they lead to disengagement.

Foster inclusive culture

Every worker is unique, and so are their needs and preferences. But for some employees, RTO mandates at their workplaces are about more than just work mode preferences—it can be an equity issue.

Our survey data suggests that tension between immunocompromised employees’ wellbeing and their colleagues’ insistence on showing up to the office while sick causes a lot of anxiety about RTO. “I have a disability that makes me more susceptible to getting sick,” one respondent shared, “and I don't want to risk that.”

Recognize and accommodate individuality by supporting a variety of work styles, including remote-friendly policies, hybrid options, and flexible schedules. Accommodating employers show they value everyone’s contributions—not just those who fit the typical mold.

Leverage technology wisely

Technology should enhance collaboration and promote employee engagement, not create a culture of constant monitoring. Choose tools that make it easy for teams to work together asynchronously, track progress transparently, and share updates without needing to be “always on.” Avoid tools that promote surveillance or micromanagement, as they can quickly erode trust and negatively impact employee morale.

Redefining productivity

As work continues to evolve in a post-pandemic, AI-powered, technologically advanced environment, companies need to redefine productivity—and consistent metrics for measuring it—to support both business goals and employee wellbeing.

A healthy, trust-driven workplace doesn’t measure performance by green dots, desk time, or how fast someone replies to a message. Instead, it focuses on meaningful results, clear goals, and a culture where employees feel empowered to do their best work—whether they’re remote, hybrid, or in-office.