In many companies, the perception of work has become an end in itself. Filling the calendar with meetings, sending emails at 11 p.m., or keeping the Slack status set to available is rewarded more than delivering clean code or solving real problems. This systemic dynamic rewards appearance over effectiveness, creating environments where noise drowns out tangible value.
How Management Software Bolsters the Culture of Posturing 🛠️
Tools like Jira, Asana, or Monday.com were designed to organize tasks, but they often become showcases of activity. An open ticket, a comment every hour, or a frequent status change are interpreted as signs of commitment. The developer who spends time documenting every step and responding in public channels gets more recognition than the one who, in silence, refactors a complex module. The system rewards movement, not progress.
The Colleague Who Types Furiously but Delivers Nothing ⌨️
We all know that coworker who, in the open office, pounds the keyboard as if writing the Linux kernel, but whose last commit dates back to last month. Meanwhile, the one who fixes bugs in fifteen minutes and goes home at six is seen as lazy. Of course, because it's easier to measure sweat than thought. In the end, the one who makes the most noise gets the promotion, and the one who produces gets free time. Ironies of modern capitalism.