Digital Distractions in the Workplace: Exploring Cyberloafing Impact on Employee Behaviour and Innovation

Abstract

Cyberloafing is a new phenomenon. As a result of extensive internet and technology use in the workplace throughout the digital era, the practice of cyberloafing has emerged. With the advent of communication technologies, there is a continuous usage of the internet, mobile devices, and computer devices at the workplace. The online activities have been increasing every day. Therefore, in the present study, an attempt has been made to gather information about cyberloafing and its effects on employee behaviour. The purpose of this study is to know in which type of cyberloafing activities employees are engaged and how these cyberloafing activities impact employee behavioural factors (such as recovery, development, addiction and deviance) and innovative work behaviour. For this purpose, data were collected from public sector employees and private sector employees from the educational as well as healthcare sectors residing in Haryana. The data were collected from 150 respondents through questionnaires and analysed by using structural equational modelling SEM-PLS. The study is based on the concept considering cyberloafing as a multidimensional construct that includes cyberloafing activities (social, informational, virtual and leisure) and cyberloafing behaviour (recovery, development, deviance and addiction). The findings of the study indicate that cyberloafing activities have a significant positive impact on employee innovative work behaviour. The present research findings are beneficial for organisations to be aware of cyberloafing activities in which employees are engaged and cyberloafing behaviour which companies are interested to know. This study has important implications for organisations looking to adapt to new technologies and efficiently control cyberloafing behaviours in the digital world.