diff --git a/server/src/systems/__tests__/systems.test.ts b/server/src/systems/__tests__/systems.test.ts
index b22e3df..7a613dd 100644
--- a/server/src/systems/__tests__/systems.test.ts
+++ b/server/src/systems/__tests__/systems.test.ts
@@ -5,12 +5,12 @@ import { needsDecaySystem } from '../needsDecaySystem.js';
 import { npcBrainSystem } from '../npcBrainSystem.js';
 import { movementSystem } from '../movementSystem.js';
 import type { Needs, Movement, NPCBrain, Position, SocialState, Stats, StatModifiers } from '@dflike/shared';
-import { HUNGER_DECAY_PER_TICK, ENERGY_DECAY_PER_TICK, MOVE_SPEED } from '@dflike/shared';
+import { HUNGER_DECAY_PER_TICK, ENERGY_DECAY_PER_TICK, PRODUCTIVITY_DECAY_PER_TICK, MOVE_SPEED } from '@dflike/shared';
 
 function createNPC(world: World, x: number, y: number, hunger = 80, energy = 80) {
   const e = world.createEntity();
   world.addComponent<Position>(e, 'position', { x, y });
-  world.addComponent<Needs>(e, 'needs', { hunger, energy });
+  world.addComponent<Needs>(e, 'needs', { hunger, energy, productivity: 80 });
   world.addComponent<Movement>(e, 'movement', { state: 'idle', target: null, path: [], direction: 0, moveProgress: 0 });
   world.addComponent<NPCBrain>(e, 'npcBrain', { currentGoal: null, goalQueue: [] });
   return e;
@@ -79,6 +79,24 @@ describe('needsDecaySystem', () => {
     expect(needs.hunger).toBeCloseTo(50 - HUNGER_DECAY_PER_TICK);
   });
 
+  it('decays productivity each tick', () => {
+    const world = new World();
+    const e = createNPC(world, 0, 0, 50, 50);
+    needsDecaySystem(world);
+    const needs = world.getComponent<Needs>(e, 'needs')!;
+    expect(needs.productivity).toBeCloseTo(80 - PRODUCTIVITY_DECAY_PER_TICK);
+  });
+
+  it('productivity decay is not affected by constitution', () => {
+    const world = new World();
+    const e = createNPC(world, 0, 0, 50, 50);
+    addStats(world, e, { constitution: 18 });
+    needsDecaySystem(world);
+    const needs = world.getComponent<Needs>(e, 'needs')!;
+    // Same decay regardless of constitution
+    expect(needs.productivity).toBeCloseTo(80 - PRODUCTIVITY_DECAY_PER_TICK);
+  });
+
   it('clamps needs at 0', () => {
     const world = new World();
     const e = createNPC(world, 0, 0, 0.01, 0.01);
diff --git a/server/src/systems/needsDecaySystem.ts b/server/src/systems/needsDecaySystem.ts
index 59a36c2..3b141a3 100644
--- a/server/src/systems/needsDecaySystem.ts
+++ b/server/src/systems/needsDecaySystem.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { HUNGER_DECAY_PER_TICK, ENERGY_DECAY_PER_TICK, HUNGER_THRESHOLD, ENERGY_THRESHOLD, type Needs } from '@dflike/shared';
+import { HUNGER_DECAY_PER_TICK, ENERGY_DECAY_PER_TICK, PRODUCTIVITY_DECAY_PER_TICK, HUNGER_THRESHOLD, ENERGY_THRESHOLD, PRODUCTIVITY_THRESHOLD, type Needs } from '@dflike/shared';
 import type { World } from '../ecs/World.js';
 import { getEffectiveStat } from './statHelpers.js';
 import type { EventMemoryService } from '../llm/eventMemoryService.js';
@@ -10,8 +10,10 @@ export function needsDecaySystem(world: World, eventMemoryService?: EventMemoryS
     const conMultiplier = 1 - (con - 10) * 0.03;
     const prevHunger = needs.hunger;
     const prevEnergy = needs.energy;
+    const prevProductivity = needs.productivity;
     needs.hunger = Math.max(0, needs.hunger - HUNGER_DECAY_PER_TICK * conMultiplier);
     needs.energy = Math.max(0, needs.energy - ENERGY_DECAY_PER_TICK * conMultiplier);
+    needs.productivity = Math.max(0, needs.productivity - PRODUCTIVITY_DECAY_PER_TICK);
 
     if (eventMemoryService) {
       if (prevHunger >= HUNGER_THRESHOLD && needs.hunger < HUNGER_THRESHOLD) {
@@ -32,6 +34,15 @@ export function needsDecaySystem(world: World, eventMemoryService?: EventMemoryS
           detail: `${name} became exhausted`,
         });
       }
+      if (prevProductivity >= PRODUCTIVITY_THRESHOLD && needs.productivity < PRODUCTIVITY_THRESHOLD) {
+        const name = world.getComponent<string>(entity, 'name') ?? 'Unknown';
+        eventMemoryService.record(entity, {
+          type: 'need_crisis',
+          tick: 0,
+          need: 'productivity',
+          detail: `${name} felt unproductive`,
+        });
+      }
     }
   }
 }