Busywork (noun)

Work that is assigned to fill time or keep someone occupied, but is not necessarily productive or important.

Origin:

Derived from the word 'busy' and 'work' meaning work that keeps someone busy.

Examples:

1. The manager assigned the intern busywork tasks to keep her occupied while the team finished their project.
2. Filing paperwork and organizing the supply room were considered busywork by the employees.
3. The teacher gave the students busywork to complete while she prepared for the next lesson.
4. He hated the monotony of busywork and longed for a challenging project to work on.
5. The busywork was a necessary evil in order for the company to function smoothly.