New research suggests that HR teams, particularly in public sector organisations, need to improve their strategies for identifying and managing false performers.
Sometimes referred to as ‘organisational charlatans’, these individuals present themselves as highly competent but often fail to deliver, negatively impacting colleagues and organisational productivity.
The study, conducted by the University of Birmingham, Bournemouth University, and the University of Worcester, explores behaviours associated with false performance and their effects in the workplace. Researchers interviewed 51 public sector employees, evenly split between management and non-management roles, to discuss their experiences with false performers in daily work, job interviews, and performance appraisals.
Dr Marie Dunnion, Research Fellow in Psychology at the University of Birmingham, and lead author of the study, said, “I am sure that most people can think of at least one colleague they have encountered over their working life when they hear the term ‘false performer’. Someone who knows all the right things to say to the bosses but can’t actually do the job.
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“But despite us all knowing someone who fits the bill, often HR departments aren’t equipped to deal with these people. This is especially the case in the public sector, where key performance indicators and targets can be less stringent than in corporate settings. We wanted to talk to people about this behaviour to understand their experiences and perceptions of it.”
Key Behaviours of False Performers
The study identified recurring examples of false performance in workplace settings. These behaviours typically fall into three categories: taking credit for colleagues’ work, over-delegating to hide incompetence, and shifting blame for mistakes onto other people or external factors.
In job interviews and appraisals, false performers use additional strategies to misrepresent their abilities. These include exaggerating or falsifying qualifications, excessive talking to distract from a lack of competence, and again taking credit for others’ work, often in one-on-one settings with managers.
Dr Dunnion said, “These false performers know that they are out of their depth at work and so will use a variety of tactics to hide this fact. Taking credit for work that they didn’t do, hyping themselves up to management, and being performative at work can all help to divert attention away from the fact they can’t do their job. Because of this it can hard for people to raise concerns, or for mangers to see the truth of the matter.
“In our groups people said that they were scared to report false performers to a manager, and that competent co-workers felt demoralised due to false performers ‘doing well’ at work, and in some cases even getting promoted.”
Steps HR Can Take
The research highlights two primary recommendations for HR departments to better detect and manage false performers. First, providing training for managers to identify signs of false performance during interviews, appraisals, and day-to-day work can help senior leaders address potential issues sooner. Managers equipped with these skills may be better able to spot false claims and take appropriate action.
Second, implementing a 360-degree appraisal system can help gather a broader perspective on an individual’s performance. By collecting feedback from multiple colleagues, managers, and stakeholders, HR teams can form a more accurate picture of an employee’s contribution and address inconsistencies in performance claims.
Dr Dunnion added, “Job interviews are the first chance that many of us have to make a good first impression on a potential employer, so talking about our strengths is to be expected. But for some, it goes much further than that. And our research suggests that once a false performer is in post, there is little that can be done to try and fix the problem. Often these scenarios are delicate and can feel personal, so it is a thorny issue to deal with.
“But, if HR departments don’t do anything, the negative effects on the wider team could cause even more harm than having a difficult conversation and improving false performer prevention. False performance behaviour could even become contagious amongst the workforce. It is important that managers and HR teams have methods in place to deal with incompetent people pretending to be otherwise, often at the expense of others.”
