You’re working on something important, but you can’t stop yourself from opening a new browser to read the news, skim through social media or send your co-worker or friend a funny text as a quick break. This act is called cyberloafing, a.k.a cyberslacking.
Cyberloafing is the intentional use of Internet technology for personal purposes by employees during work hours. This technology can be provided by the company or personal devices that employees bring to work. Surfing non-workrelated Internet sites, sending personal emails, online gaming, or social networking are all examples of cyberloating.
Cyberloafing is a type of production deviance, which means it violates organisational norms for minimum levels of quantity and quality of output. As a result, employees waste time at work rather than performing their required job duties well.
Inarguably, the Internet has become an essential part of daily professional and personal lives in this increasingly digitally focused, alwaysconnected world. Many of us spend a significant portion of our waking hours engrossed in our phones or laptop screens, checking our social media accounts or email, browsing news websites, watching YouTube or making purchases online. This is especially true during the COVID-19 pandemic, when most people were forced to work from home.
Cyberloafing is becoming increasingly problematic in today’s world. There is no single cause of cyberloafing in the workplace, making it a difficult issue to address. The main facilitator is an internet presence in the workplace, but anything from free time to job dissatisfaction to a lack of sleep can lead to an increase in cyberloafing behaviors. As work demands increase, most cyberloafing occurs in an attempt to regulate the work-life balance. Furthermore, employees perceive and sometimes mimic their coworkers’ loafing behaviors. Some of the common reasons why employees cyberloaf are:
- It is a way to procrastinate. Many people use the Internet to escape work. This can be especially true if they have been assigned tasks that they find unpleasant or feel like they have no control over.
- It is a way to find new information. Cyberloafers often seek out articles, videos and other non-work related content on the web in order to expand their knowledge base or learn about something new (e.g., how-to videos for fixing their computer).
- It’s socializing time! Some cyberloafers use these platforms as an opportunity for gathering with friends online so they can hang out without having much responsibility or accountability at work.
Some companies have attempted to curtail such behavior by barring access to specific websites or installing monitoring tools to track Internet usage. Such precautions, however, might potentially backfire. Restrictions or surveillance can cause animosity among employees and foster sentiments of distrust, reducing productivity and prompting talented individuals to leave. Employers may also accidentally obstruct access to commercially vital information or intelligence, impairing employees’ capacity to perform their duties. Furthermore, because of the abundance of wireless devices and low-cost data packages, employees can quickly circumvent any restrictions or monitoring set on fixed workplace networks.
Research suggests a few ways to prevent cyberloafing. One way is to have an explicit policy to not use the internet on company time and property for personal use. Second, take group social media breaks or alike and set specific timings so that you don’t have to worry about when to check the phone next. Third, some firms install computer programmes that either limit or monitor their employees’ online activities, or restrict certain sites. Lastly, provide meaningful work. People enjoy their work if they find it engaging and are more dedicated, attentive and productive.
A few researches say that a modest amount of cyberloafing is not only harmless, but even helpful. Taking short pauses allows our brains to reset between jobs and can help reduce work stress. It can be a form of ‘psychological detachment”‘ – a technique for us to disconnect from what we’re doing in order to recharge and continue working long-term.
Of course, spending too much time idly scrolling can quickly become annoying – so there might be a tipping point to its benefit. It’s also a good idea to analyze why we’re doing it. Do we cyberloaf only to take a breather, or is it an indicator of deeper disengagement at work? This is the real question.
If we’re actually cyberloafing to refresh our heads, it’s probably a good thing. It might not even matter whether we spend two or ten minutes cyberloafing, as long as we can return to our work without spending too much time and getting the work done up to the mark, but not otherwise. It is important to remember that it takes about 30 minutes for the brain to refocus following a distraction. Unless we have control over when we take breaks, “quick glances” at feeds or phones may soon become incredibly unproductive.
To avoid cyberloafing, there are ways to recharge that do not involve our screens, such as going for a short walk, focusing on our surroundings, reading a short article about something unrelated to work, meditating, doing something actively useful to oneself, such as tidying the desk.
Conclusion
When it comes to cyberloafing, the best way to combat it is with a combination of education, awareness and regulation. If you are able to educate your employees about the dangers of cyberloafing and regulate their behavior at work, then you can help prevent any negative effects on productivity or quality of service.
Lastly, there are two sides to cyberloafing. It can be harmful to a company if left unattended. Without staff discipline, an organisation may eventually lose control of counterproductive work behaviours. Consequently, employees will be ineffective in contributing to the company’s growth.
On the other hand, cyberloafing can be beneficial. It can still provide the break that employees require to regain focus and leverage the benefits of technology while increasing job satisfaction. Managers must seek risk management techniques to mitigate the effects of cyberloafing in the workplace.
Work Cited:
- Cyberloafing: Is Digital procrastination good or bad? RSS. (2022, July 13). Retrieved from https://timelyapp.com/blog/cyberloafing
- Goerner, C. (2019, April 24). Stop the cyberloafing! Practical Paradigms. Retrieved from https://www.practicalparadigms.com/blog-content/2019/4/22/stop-the-cyberloafing
- Henle, C. A., & Kedharnath, U. (2012, January). Cyberloafing in the Workplace. IGI Global. Retrieved from https://www.igi-global.com/chapter/cyberloafing-workplace/
- Lim, V. (2021, October). Net, clicks and Chill. NUS. Retrieved from https://nus.edu.sg/alumnet/thealumnus/issue-127/perspectives/panorama/net-clicks-and-chill
- What does cyberslacking mean & how can we prevent it? Traqg’s Blog. (2022, May 30). Retrieved from https://traqq.com/blog/what-is-cyberslacking-and-how-does-it-affect-workplaceproductivity/
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