For some workers, looking busy has become part of the job description — and Gen Z has turned it into an art form.

A new survey of 1,003 full-time US professionals found that 80% of Gen Z workers admit to faking productivity after finishing their real work — the highest rate of any generation, well ahead of millennials at 68% and Gen X at 58%, according to Software Finder, a technology consulting firm.

But Gen Z isn’t alone.

Overall, 66% of employees admitted they’ve pretended to stay busy after wrapping up their work. On average, they spend nearly five hours a week keeping up appearances — the equivalent of roughly 32 workdays, or almost seven full workweeks a year.

Instead of logging off and risking a manager’s disapproval, many resort to simple tricks to appear active.

Among Gen Z workers, 56% admit they periodically jiggle their mouse or keep a decoy browser tab or document open, while 43% deliberately delay responding to non-urgent messages to make themselves look busier than they really are.

Hybrid employees were the biggest offenders overall, with 76% admitting they fake productivity, compared with 66% of remote workers and 57% of employees who work in the office full time.

Managers aren’t exactly setting the example, either. Nearly three-quarters (73%) admitted they’ve also pretended to be busy — usually for the benefit of their own bosses.

Only 18% of workers said they feel guilty about the behavior, while just 7% resent having to do it.

“It’s not that they’re rejecting work — they’re rejecting the notion that sitting at a desk until 5 p.m. automatically equals productivity,” Marium Lodhi, chief marketing officer at Software Finder, told The Post.

“A better question isn’t, ‘How do we get employees to look busy?’ It’s, ‘How do we reward employees who finish great work quickly?’”

More than half of workers who fake productivity said they complete their assignments at least an hour before quitting time, while 22% finish two or more hours early.

Many said they’d gladly log off if they knew they wouldn’t be judged for it.

Instead, 64% admitted they intentionally slow down because finishing too quickly often leads to one reward: more work.

Many employees would gladly log off for the day if there were no consequences.

Employee monitoring appears to make the problem worse rather than better. Nearly two-thirds (63%) of workers at companies that use productivity-tracking software said surveillance actually makes them more likely to fake activity.

That tracks with previous research. Data from the American Psychological Association found that 56% of employees whose work is electronically monitored report feeling tense or stressed on the job.

Ironically, pretending to be productive may be more exhausting than the work itself. Nearly half (49%) said constantly looking busy has contributed to burnout, while 75% said productivity-monitoring software creates more stress than productivity.

Employees aren’t necessarily trying to fool everyone, either. Thirty-five percent said they’re performing for their direct manager, while 31% admitted they’ve simply gotten into the habit — even when no one is watching.

“Ambition hasn’t disappeared,” Lodhi said. “But the willingness to sacrifice evenings, weekends and unnecessary screen time to demonstrate commitment has. Younger workers are redefining what success actually means.”