9 - Productivity, Not Presenteeism Rethinking Work Hours & Outputs

A series about business efficiency, finding profit and how to get there

Introduction
In many New Zealand SMEs, there's still an unspoken rule if you’re not physically present, you’re not really working. Long hours, visible effort, and the “first in, last out” mindset continue to shape how productivity is perceived.

But presence is not performance. Activity is not impact.

Presenteeism, the habit of being “seen” at work rather than being effective, quietly erodes morale, trust and true productivity. It rewards optics over outcomes, hours over efficiency.

In a time when every dollar, minute, and ounce of energy counts, business owners need to ask a harder question

Are we measuring what matters - or just what’s easy to see?

Actions to Be Taken
Here’s how to begin shifting from presenteeism to productivity in a way that’s clear, compassionate, and effective.

Define What “Productive” Means for Each Role
Move beyond “hours worked” and define

• Key outcomes

• Value-creating tasks

• Efficiency indicators (e.g., turnaround time, customer satisfaction)

 Involve employees in shaping these definitions - they often know better than anyone what actually moves the needle.

Introduce Outcome-Based Check-Ins
Instead of asking “what have you been working on?” in team meetings or one-on-ones, ask

• What’s been completed?

• What’s in progress and on track?

• What’s blocked and needs support?

This reinforces delivery over presence.

Experiment with Flexible Structures
Trial initiatives like -

• Core hours (e.g., everyone available 10–2, flexible outside of that)

• Condensed work weeks (e.g., 4 x 10-hour days)

• Output-focused KPIs rather than time-based goals

 Start small, evaluate impact, and scale what works.

Use Tools to Track Outcomes, Not Surveillance
Use project management tools like Asana, Trello, or ClickUp to monitor work without micromanaging. Focus on clarity and visibility, not digital oversight.

Celebrate Results, Not Overtime
Reinforce a culture that praises smart work, not just hard work. Recognise people who hit goals early, improve processes, or deliver efficiently.

Psychological Perspective
Presenteeism is deeply rooted in trust and identity.

Many business owners fear that if people aren't visible, they're not working. That fear leads to micromanagement, which leads to disengagement. Likewise, employees often equate “being seen” with job security, especially in uncertain economies.

But trust breeds efficiency. When people are trusted to deliver outcomes and are held accountable for those outcomes, performance improves. People feel ownership, not just obligation.

Also, presenteeism is a fast track to burnout. Productivity is a renewable resource; exhaustion is not. Businesses that focus on impact over optics retain energy, innovation, and talent longer.

HR Best Practice
The HR function plays a key role in dismantling outdated work models and creating systems that support real productivity.

Here’s how -

• Redesign job descriptions to focus on outcomes, not activity

• Train managers in outcome-based performance conversations

• Survey staff anonymously about workload, time use, and flexible work preferences

• Monitor engagement as a success metric — it’s a leading indicator of real productivity

Also, build in psychological safety. Let people know it’s okay to step away when they’ve delivered. Productivity does not mean being “on” 24/7.

Red Flags to Watch For and Mitigate Against
Presenteeism can be subtle. Look out for -

• Team members staying late for optics, not output

• Praise for long hours rather than smart delivery

• Employees feeling guilty for logging off “on time”

• Managers defaulting to micro-check-ins over results-based review

• High hours + low performance (masked inefficiency)

 If productivity is high, hours shouldn’t be.

Narrative Story

Meet Hana from Tauranga.
Hana runs a boutique law firm in Tauranga. Her team was hardworking and visibly exhausted. Late nights were common. Burnout was rising. Yet output wasn’t improving.

She sat down and redefined each role’s success metrics client turnaround time, case accuracy, and client feedback. Then she introduced a six-month trial flexible start times and one “deep work” day a week with no meetings.

At first, it felt radical. But by month three -

• Output had increased by 18%

• Client satisfaction improved

• Two team members reported major reductions in stress and anxiety

 No reduction in hours. Just a shift from showing up to delivering value.

Hana reflects - “We were rewarding visibility over effectiveness. Once we flipped that, the whole culture lifted.”

Golden Nugget
Real productivity isn’t measured in hours - it’s measured in outcomes.

If you’d like a confidential, free of charge, free of obligation conversation about your business, here’s how to get me.

 📞 Phone +64 275 665 682
✉️ Email john.luxton@regenerationhq.co.nz
🌐 Contact Form www.regenerationhq.co.nz/contact

If you’d like to read more RegenerationHQ thinking on SME business and other things, go here – www.regenerationhq.co.nz/articlesoverview

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Supporting NZ SME Owners to Exit Well, Lead Better and Build Business Value.