Teachers’ personal web use at work

Abstract

This article presents findings from an online survey of teachers concerning personal web use at work. Often considered as 'cyberslacking' or 'internet abuse', personal web use is a growing phenomenon within increasingly internet-dependent workplaces. The findings of this study highlight a wide range of types of personal web usage amongst teachers ranging from sending personal emails to social networking and personal banking as well as a range of reasons for personal web use from a means of addressing permeable work-life boundaries and coping with work intensification to providing a virtual space for routine resistance. The data also suggest that, rather than being detrimental to the organisation, personal web use could potentially be a means of increasing worker productivity and developing the digital literacy of teachers. It concludes by considering the implications of the findings for senior managers within organisations.

Metrics of Presenteeism and Its Relations With Cooperation: An Empirical Evidence

“…The study by Paulsen corroborates with studies that emphasize the relationships between the presentist behavior and the meaning of work (Eddy et al, 2012;Fritz, Ellis, Demsky, Lin, & Guros, 2013;Fritz, Lam, & Spreitzer, 2011;Page, 2015). According to the author, individual inclination to work is an endogenous phenomenon that does not come from management but depends on the meaning given to the work performed, making it more acute the less this meaning.…”

“…Whether for structural, organizational and institutional issues, for organizacional enviroment susceptible to posture, or even for more implicit reasons, such as a way to deal with stress, the search for pleasure, by dissatisfaction or lack of meaning in the task performed, the worker is physically present at work but absent in mind, behavior and in capability of performing his tasks in a productive way. Aiming to reduce his own frustration and dissatisfaction and to satisfy his psychological needs and vices, he silently simulates his own performance (D'Abate, 2005;D'Abate & Eddy, 2007;Eddy, D'Abate, & Thurston, 2010;Ferreira & Esteves, 2016;Page, 2015;Paulsen, 2015;Saarvala, 2006;Vijayakumar, 2015). Paulsen (2015) subsidizes this debate about the influence of organizational and personal factors in presenteism, combining representative axes of worker subjectivity and work objectivity.…”

Web of deceit: Relationships between the dark triad, perceived ability to deceive and cyberloafing

“…Garrett & Danziger, 2008;Page, 2015: Sheikh et al, 2015. Consequently, on an applied level, the importance of the present research lies in its potential to inform policy that might reduce cyberloafing behaviour, such that the productivity of workplaces may be maximised, and the costs associated with cyberloafing reduced.…”

“…Similarly, workplace gamification may also lead to a rise in non-work related use of technology in the office; changing the way we look at 'work' and 'play' (Oravec, 2015). Finally, short breaks from work to access the Internet for personal use can improve productivity (Page, 2015).…”

An Investigation of Cyberloafing in Relation to Coping Styles and Psychological Symptoms in an Educational Setting

“…Other researchers have suggested the benefits of engaging in cyberloafing on individual's well-being and work performance. More specifically, giving periodic breaks from work may help employees to recharge their energy, refocus their attention on work demands, cope with personal problems and work stress, and thus, increase their performance, productivity and satisfaction at work (Lim & Chen, 2012; Özkalp & Yıldız, 2018; Page, 2015). It is particularly argued that cyberloafing behaviors emerge as a coping strategy against workplace stressors (Henle & Blanchard, 2008; Koay et al., 2017; Varghese & Barber, 2017).…”