News
Asian employees spending most time looking busy at work, finds study
Workers in Asia are spending most of their time on “performative work” — in other words, focusing on appearing busy more than doing real, productive work.
That’s according to a new global survey from Salesforce subsidiary Slack and research firm Qualtrics, which pulled data from more than 18,000 desk workers, including executives.
Performative work includes “spending a lot of time in meetings where ‘teams present achievements’ rather than making decisions or addressing issues,” said Derek Laney, Slack’s “technology evangelist” for Asia-Pacific.
The survey found that employees from India (43%), Japan (37%) and Singapore (36%) reported spending more of their time on such work than the global average (32%).
South Korea, however, tied in last place with the U.S. — workers from both countries reported spending just 28% of their time appearing busy.
Japan (63%), Singapore (63%) and India (57%) were ranked lowest for percentage of time spent on productive or “real work,” Slack said.
According to Laney, employees’ focus on appearing busy is “likely influenced” by the way leaders are measuring productivity.
“Leaders are most likely to judge productivity based on visible activity instead of focusing on achieving outcomes,” Laney said.
“This disconnect leads to wasted effort where employees try to show up well in front of their leaders.”
Globally, visibility and activity metrics, such as the number of hours spent online or the number of emails sent, are ranked as the top way (27%) leaders measure productivity, according to the report.
Employees may in turn feel pressured to work longer hours, respond to emails immediately, or sit in on every meeting, it added.
For example, 44% of Singapore employees — the highest globally — say their productivity has been affected by spending “too much time” in meetings and emails.
Slack found that 63% of survey respondents make an effort to keep their status active online, even if they’re not working.
Despite the pressure to work longer and be more visible that employees feel, the report found that most workers wish their productivity could be measured differently.
Instead of activity metrics, workers surveyed want to be assessed most through key performance indicators; conversations with their managers; and the “hours spent on specific types of work.”
“There is an opportunity for companies to explore new and different ways of working, such as … adopting asynchronous ways of working rather than meetings, to facilitate more effective collaboration at work,” Laney said.
Workers are still very much in favor of asynchronous work, which was prevalent during the pandemic in light of remote working arrangements. Asynchronous work means tasks are not carried out in real-time and in person.
The report highlighted that more than half of respondents said the best way for employers to support productivity is through flexible schedules, with 36% opting for flexible locations.
Unique workplace benefits and office improvements rank lower at 32%.
The survey found that when it comes to returning to the office, workers consider having “a sense of community” and brainstorming as a team “more productive” than engaging in tasks that can be done at home.
Microsoft’s latest research echoed that sentiment — 84% of global employees said they would be motivated to go to the office if they could socialize with their colleagues, which they valued more than a better work set-up.
“Flexibility is so much more than location, it’s also how and when we work. That means … being intentional over which environments are best for specific tasks,” the report said.
“What matters above all is that work schedules and locations are purposeful according to the kind of work being done — and that each team’s agreements are well-defined.”
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Iran has sought the Indian intervention, at the highest level, to provide lifesaving support to the crews of empty Iranian vessels stranded just outside Sri Lanka’s 12-nautical mile territorial waters off Galle.
Sources familiar with the issue said that Iran had brought the developing situation to the attention of New Delhi as the crews of almost 20 vessels, included Indian nationals. Sources stressed that the group of vessels that unloaded crude oil a couple of months back were now stranded within Sri Lanka’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
The US Navy torpedoed an unarmed Iran frigate, returning from India, on 04 March, 2026, about 19 nautical miles off the Galle coast. The unprovoked attack killed nearly 100 Iranians.
The Iranian Embassy in Colombo has inquired from the Indian High Commission of their response to the situation, sources said. The US has issued a global warning against providing food, water, medicine and other services to the Iranian vessels. The outcome of Iran-India talks on the issue at hand was not known, though sources asserted India may not throw its weight behind Iranian efforts to address the issue.
Responding to The Island queries, sources said both Sri Lanka and India were in a dilemma due to the US warning. India couldn’t ignore the plight of the Indian crew members and the Iranian vessels in its backyard.
The Sri Lankan government remains tight-lipped about the vessels stranded in its EEZ. Our efforts to elicit a response from relevant authorities were in vain. In addition to Indians, there are Bangladeshis among the crew members. Iran has explicitly stated the responsibilities of the countries concerned to provide assistance in terms of international law.
The Iranian position was articulated by its Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Dr.Alireza Delkhosh, recently. In a special statement, Ambassador Delkhosh emphasised that in terms of the Convention on the Law of the Sea (Article 98) as well as SOLAS and SAR
Conventions, Sri Lanka couldn’t refrain from providing the needs of the Iranian vessels stranded in its EEZ.
SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem lambasted the NPP government in Parliament for failing to provide assistance to the Iranian ships. The former Minister alleged that the government was simply carrying out dictates of the US. He strongly criticised the way Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath was handling the issue.
MP Namal Rajapaksa, who is in remand custody over the controversial Airbus deal, was further remanded until October 27 by the Colombo Magistrate’s Court yesterday (13).
Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama made the order after considering submissions by officers of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption and lawyers representing Rajapaksa.
Sri Lanka’s economy is expected to sustain its recovery over the next two years, although growth is projected to moderate amid mounting global uncertainties, according to the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) latest World Economic Outlook.
In its World Economic Outlook 2026: Resilience Under Strain, Urgent Choices, the IMF projects Sri Lanka’s economy to expand by 4% in 2026, slowing to 3.7% in 2027, following estimated growth of 5% in 2025.
Inflation, meanwhile, is forecast to rise to 5.3% in 2026 and 5.4% in 2027, reversing the average deflation rate of 0.5% recorded in 2025.
Unemployment is expected to remain steady at 3.9% throughout the forecast period.
The projections come amid growing pressure on the global economy from the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, elevated energy prices, geopolitical tensions and trade disruptions.
Sri Lanka’s external position is also expected to weaken, with the current account balance projected to shift from a surplus of 1.6% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2025 to deficits of 0.5% in 2026 and 0.3% in 2027.
The IMF’s outlook points to continued economic expansion in Sri Lanka, but with slower growth, rising inflation and a narrowing external surplus giving way to current account deficits over the forecast period.
Heavy showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Central, and North-western provinces and in Anuradhapura district.
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