With the rise in virtual work teams, flexible work arrangements, and personal electronic devices in the workplace, the opportunities for cyberloafing—using the Internet for non-work activities—are plentiful and creating serious problems for many businesses.
A new study from the School of Business at the University of Wisconsin-Madison examines two key personality traits—conscientiousness and emotional stability—that affect the likelihood of cyberloafing and looks at certain workplace conditions that may increase employee engagement.
The following suggestions for organizations seeking to reduce online distractions as a means of increasing productivity:
- Screen candidates for conscientiousness and emotional stability during job interviews.
- Create appropriate human resource practices and effectively communicate with employees so they feel people are treated fairly.
- Have a policy that personal devices and non-work e-mail can be checked during breaks or only as needed throughout the day to minimize distractions.
“Both conscientiousness and emotional stability are strong predictors for job performance, and their presence would suggest a reduced likelihood of cyberloafing,” says Maria Triana, associate professor of management and human resources. “But we found that even a conscientious employee with a strong work ethic will engage in cyberloafing if they feel there is a lack of justice or fair treatment in the workplace. That means it is important for organizations to focus not only on those personal traits, but in creating a work environment where employees believe they are treated fairly and equitably.”
The research found that conscientious individuals seek to fulfill their obligations, are normally centered on task accomplishment and are less likely to be distracted and cross the line into cyberloafing. Emotionally stable people have less need to spend time and energy regulating their emotions, have more capacity to allocate resources to tasks at hand and are less likely to lose focus.
Another workplace condition the research considered was the level of employee empowerment. When empowerment is high, people generally have a good attitude about work and are more likely to be satisfied.