Learn a new phrase about pretending to work. If you’re someone who claims to be busy but in reality isn’t taking work too seriously, this could be for you. Even if not, maybe you know someone who is just a good actor. Find out more in this programme.
Jiaying
Welcome to The English We Speak with you, Neil…
Neil
…and you Jiaying. And for today’s English phrase, we’re off to the theatre – but not literally.
Jiaying
‘The show must go on’, ‘all the world’s a stage’ – these are well-known, theatre-related phrases?
Neil
They are – but this phrase is bang up-to-date and describes the act of someone appearing to work hard when in reality they’re not being very productive. We call this productivity theatre.
Jiaying
OK, so normally ‘productivity’ relates to the rate at which goods are made, or work is completed. But ‘theatre’ implies the activity is just an act – it’s pretend.
Neil
Correct. ‘Theatre’ used as an adjective can describe someone’s exaggerated or insincere behaviour. We can call this ‘theatrical’. So, in the workplace someone may try to look busy by speaking loudly or shuffling lots of paper, but it’s an act – they are performing productivity theatre.
Jiaying
So, we shouldn’t be fooled – looking busy doesn’t mean you are busy! I think we should hear more about this in these examples…
Examples
She says she hasn’t time to write the report but I know it’s just productivity theatre.
Tidying your desk at work isn’t really being efficient, it’s just productivity theatre!
She always claims she has to work late but I know she slinks off when everyone’s gone home – it’s productivity theatre!
Jiaying
In this The English We Speak programme, we’re hearing about the new phrase ‘productivity theatre’ which describes the act of workers giving the impression of working hard when in reality, they aren’t. It’s all an act! Something you would never do, Neil?
Neil
Of course! But I have heard about people who work from home, and while watching TV, they occasionally send an email, so it looks like they’re working. A great example of productivity theatre.
Jiaying
I know people who say they are very busy and I see them on their computer doing online shopping!
Neil
Productivity theatre?
Jiaying
Yes, indeed.
Neil
Hmm, you know I might give productivity theatre a try, Jiaying.
Jiaying
Not before you’ve finished all your work!
Neil
OK. More productivity and less theatre for now. See you next time.
Jiaying
Bye.
The story An investigation by the United Nations, called a 'commission of inquiry', has found…
The story A boy who died at the age of 15 has been made a…
The story A major aftershock has hit eastern Afghanistan, just days after an earthquake measuring…
The story A study in Taiwan has found that peoples' biological age increases when they…
The story Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky returned to the White House on Monday to meet…
The story The charity Prostate Cancer UK, says that the UK is treating too many…