The Billion-Dollar Problem You Didn't Know You Had: Fake Work

At Broadcom, we've built our reputation on tackling big, business-critical problems. We're not just a technology company; we're problem solvers. We believe in unlocking significant opportunities for growth and innovation through our solutions, and we're confident that we can do the same for your company.

The pervasive problem of fake work

Have you ever heard of the term "fake work"? It's a term that's been making the rounds in the tech industry, and it's a symptom of a deeper problem. Fake work is when employees are kept busy with tasks that don't contribute to the company's strategic goals.

It's a problem that's so pervasive, yet so hidden, that you might not even realize it's affecting your organization. But once you see it, you can't unsee it. And once you understand its impact, you'll be compelled to act.

Imagine running on a treadmill. You're moving, you're sweating, you're putting in the effort, but you're not actually getting anywhere. That's the perfect illustration of what fake work in an organization can feel like. You're working hard, but your efforts aren't moving the needle. You're busy, but not productive. And you're not alone. This is a pervasive problem that affects organizations across industries, from tech giants to small startups.

The shocking reality

Did you know that Twitter, under Elon Musk's leadership, laid off over 80% of their workforce without affecting productivity? And it's not just Twitter. Major tech players like Meta, Amazon, Netflix, and Google have followed suit, resulting in over 150,000 layoffs in the last 12 months alone.

If a company can let go of such a large portion of its workforce without any impact on productivity, it indicates that most of the work being done doesn't contribute to the company's bottom line. It's what we call "fake work" and it's the hidden enemy of digital transformation.

The root cause: Misalignment

The root cause of fake work is misalignment between strategy and execution. Misalignment is like a slow leak in a tire. It might not cause immediate problems, but over time, it can lead to significant issues. Misalignment in an organization can cause teams to work at cross purposes, squander resources on non-strategic initiatives, and ultimately hinder an organization's ability to innovate and grow. And the cost of misalignment is staggering. According to PMI, companies lose an estimated $1 million every 20 seconds due to misalignment between strategy and execution.

The pain point: Lack of visibility

Another major contributor to fake work is a lack of visibility. When there's no holistic view into the fundamental mechanics of your software delivery value stream, it's hard to align strategy with execution. It's like trying to navigate a maze in the dark.

Our tools and processes often contribute to this problem. Key information is locked within individual tools that do not automatically share updates and changes in real time. There is no one source of truth. As a result, we end up with a fragmented view of the value stream, leading to inefficiencies, bottlenecks, and ultimately, fake work.

The vicious cycle: Inefficiency and fake work

If you’re using a disconnected tool chain, it can be next to impossible to get real-time insight into the end-to-end flow of work. This lack of visibility has a profound impact on productivity. Specialists are forced into informal and error-prone manual handoffs through emails, chats, spreadsheets, tool switching, duplicate data entry, and more. This manual overhead is all non-value adding work that adds waste. This lack of visibility not only leads to misalignment and inefficiency but also contributes to the creation of fake work. It's a vicious cycle that needs to be broken.

The solution: ValueOps

So, what's the solution? How do we get off the treadmill and start moving forward? At Broadcom, we've developed ValueOps, a solution designed to tackle fake work head on. ValueOps is an end-to-end value stream management platform.

With ValueOps, you gain a comprehensive, real-time view. This visibility allows you to identify and eliminate inefficiencies, align your teams, and ensure that everyone is working on tasks that contribute to your strategic goals. This not only eliminates fake work but also significantly boosts productivity.

The results and value of ValueOps

With ValueOps, we've managed to save millions in lost productivity for our customers. We've given customers the power to align, to see what matters, and to be efficient. Companies like Boeing, Verizon, Honda, and Chipotle have all experienced the benefits of eliminating fake work and aligning their strategy with execution.

Conclusion

In conclusion, fake work is a real problem, one that costs businesses hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars. If you’re not using ValueOps, you're leaving money on the table. But more than that, you're missing out on the opportunity to drive your business forward, to innovate, and to grow. We have a history of fueling the success of our customers, and we're ready to do the same for your company. So, let's stop running on the treadmill. Let's start moving forward. Together.