It's not surprising that there's been a disconnect in the workplace these days. Management and employees often view work-related matters differently, and co-location and remote work can exacerbate that. Productivity paranoia is the idea that there's a discrepancy between how leadership and employees feel about production.

In a study last year, Microsoft surveyed 20,000 people in 11 countries and analyzed trillions of Microsoft 365 signals to gauge productivity. The data highlights the disconnect between employers and employees and backs up workers' claims related to their productivity. Eighty-seven percent of employees reported being productive at work, and Microsoft 365 productivity signals continue to rise.

Despite that, 85 percent of leaders say the shift to hybrid makes it challenging to have confidence that employees are using their time productively, leading to productivity paranoia. Because of leadership's lagging confidence, employers use technology to track activity rather than impact, which doesn't provide context for how employees are positively affecting companies.