Presence theatre is the practice of performing availability and engagement without necessarily being available or engaged. It exists in physical offices and remote environments. The props are different. The performance is the same.
The physical office version
In the physical office, presence theatre involves: arriving early and leaving late, keeping a busy-looking desk, walking purposefully between locations, and maintaining a focused expression when others are nearby. None of these are reliable indicators of productive work. They are indicators of presence, which is different.
The remote version
In remote work, presence theatre has moved to digital signals: maintaining an "Available" status, responding to messages quickly regardless of the quality of the response, keeping the camera on in meetings even when not engaged, and sending messages at unusual hours to signal dedication.
The Teams status indicator has become the primary stage for remote presence theatre. A green dot signals availability. A red dot signals busyness. Both can be managed independently of actual work.
Why it persists
Presence theatre persists because many organizations measure presence rather than output. When the primary signal of performance is visibility — being seen to be working — the rational response is to optimize for visibility. This is not a character flaw. It is a response to the incentive structure.
The cost
Presence theatre costs time and attention that could be spent on actual work. It also creates a culture where the appearance of productivity is rewarded over the reality of it, which gradually erodes the connection between effort and outcome.
The alternative
Organizations that measure output rather than presence reduce the incentive for presence theatre. When what matters is what you produce, not when you are visibly producing it, the performance becomes less necessary. This requires trust, clear expectations, and a willingness to evaluate work on its merits.
The question: Is your organization measuring presence or output? The answer will tell you a lot about the culture and about what behaviours are being rewarded.