Toxic Productivity

Toxic productivity has become one of the most visible and troubling cultural phenomena of recent years, and the Netflix series Black Rabbit, released in September, has only intensified this conversation. The story of a restaurant that survives on the heroic efforts of its employees shows how the idea of constant busyness turns into a norm. Mass culture presents this lifestyle as exciting and almost romantic, but in reality it shapes a behavioral model that leads to serious consequences for both people and companies.

At the center of the series is Jake, a man who exists entirely through work. His life is reduced to a permanent state of urgency, and any needs beyond professional ones are seen as unnecessary. His brother Vince quickly adopts the same rhythm, and the whole team is drawn into an endless marathon of night shifts, stress, and attempts to keep the business afloat. Gradually, the viewer begins to feel that this way of life is presented as something normal, even heroic.

This is exactly how toxic productivity works. Fatigue starts to be perceived as a sign of strength, while rest is seen as weakness. In reality, however, this mindset leads to emotional exhaustion, loss of motivation, and professional burnout. The series shows how the main character is visibly falling apart while continuing to convince himself that the restaurant cannot survive any other way.

For businesses, such a culture is especially dangerous. On the surface, overtime may seem beneficial. Employees work more and tasks are completed faster. But in the long term, the result is the opposite. An exhausted person stops thinking deeply, makes more mistakes, loses the ability to innovate, and becomes a source of tension for the entire team. The workplace climate deteriorates, turnover increases, and strong specialists leave for environments where their time and health are respected. Gradually, the company gains a reputation as a place where people are squeezed dry, and such an employer brand quickly repels younger candidates, for whom balance has become a core value.

Fighting toxic productivity requires systemic solutions. HR teams can start with digital hygiene by limiting work messages outside of working hours, encouraging proper rest, and reinforcing respect for personal time. It is also important to train managers to recognize signs of burnout and to stop praising employees for self sacrifice that only accelerates emotional collapse. Open conversations about mental well being, internal lectures, podcasts, and stress reduction initiatives help make this topic a normal part of corporate culture.

A culture in which overwork is seen as a virtue is long overdue for revision. The role of HR is crucial here. They are the ones who can embed values of sustainability, respect for personal boundaries, and real effectiveness that is built not on exhaustion but on healthy, conscious motivation. When these principles become part of corporate life, it is not only employees who benefit, but the entire business as well.