I'mStudies suggest that , after 50 hours aeek , employee productivity fallsharply.

But that doesn't stop some managers fromdemanding that workers stay chained to their desk for long periods .Presenteeism is the curse of the modern office worker.

There will be days when you do not havemuch to do ; perhaps because  you are raiting for someone else in a  different department , or a different company ,  torespond to a request . But you can see yourboss hard at work and , more important , they can see you . So you make an effort to look busy .

Some of this may be a self-perpetuating cycle . If bosses do not like to go homebefore their underlings , and underlings feareaving before their bosses , everyone is trapped.Some of this may be a self-perpetuating cycle . If bosses do not like to go home before their underlings , and underlings fear leaving before their bosses , everyone is trapped.

The consequence is often wasted  effort. Rather than work hard , you toil to make bosses think that you are Leaving a jacketon your office chair , walking around purposefully with a notebook or  clipboardand sending out emails at odd  hours are three of the best known tricks .  After a while this can result in collective  selfdelusion that this pretence is actual work.

But presenteeism has more serious consequences . It is perhaps most prevalentin Japan , where people attend the office even when they are in discomfort . In doing so , they are doing neither themselves , northeir employers , any favours.

Turning an office into a prison , with inmatesallowed home for the evenings , does not hing for the creativity that is increasingly demanded of office workers as routine tasks are automated . To be productive youneed presence of mind , not being present in the flesh.