Personal Internet Use: The Use of Personal Mobile Devices at the Workplace

Effects of Organizational Controls on Employees' Cyber-loafing

Cyber-loafing is a workplace deviant behavior that may impose perennial losses and security threats to organizations. Due to the destructive impact, organizations take controls to manage employees' cyber-loafing behavior. While previous research concerning these cyber-loafing controls has yielded inconsistent results, this research further advances this line of research through two primarily adopted organizational controls: computer monitoring and Internet usage policy. We contend that the inconsistent results of the effects of computer monitoring and Internet usage policy on cyber-loafing behavior are due to ignoring the influence of individual differences. Motivated thus, we draw on pertaining literature of trait mindfulness to propose that trait mindfulness moderates the effect of perceived computer monitoring and perceived Internet usage policy on behavioral automaticity towards cyber-loafing, which leads to employees' cyber-loafing behavior. In essence, this paper sheds new light on the relationships amid organizational controls, cyber-loafing behavior, and the moderating effects of trait mindfulness. 450 responses were collected to test these hypotheses. Our results show that trait mindfulness enhances the negative effect of perceived Internet usage policy on behavioral automaticity towards cyber-loafing. In addition, we find out that trait mindfulness has an indirect effect on employees' cyber-loafing behavior by reducing behavioral automaticity.

Current Approaches, Typologies and Predictors of Deviant Work Behaviors: A Scoping Review of Reviews

This study provides a scoping review of the recent conceptual developments about the deviant work behavior and counterproductive work behavior constructs. It also examines the specific types of deviant work behavior that have been more consistently investigated in the last decade, and whether they cover the interpersonal or organizational type of deviant behavior. In addition, individual, group, and organizational predictors of deviant work behaviors are examined. A scoping review of reviews was conducted on Scopus and Web of Science databases and 54 studies published from 2010 to June 2021 were taken into account. Results show that more recent conceptualizations are based on well established models in the literature and consider the hierarchical structure of these two constructs. Recent reviews examine the relationships of deviant work behavior with job performance and ethical behavior constructs, the multilevel nature of deviant work behavior, and the consequences for the actor of the deviance. The specific types of deviant work behavior more frequently reviewed in the last decade are workplace abuse, incivility, ostracism, bullying and sexual harassment, and abusive and destructive leadership; this evidence suggests a much greater attention to interpersonal, rather than organizational, forms of deviant work behavior. Regarding antecedents, results show the continuing prevalence of personality factors antecedents. Limitations of the study and theoretical and practical implications for the field are also provided.

Traditional cyberloafing, mobile cyberloafing and personal mobile-internet loafing in business organizations

Purpose

Possession and usage of data-enabled smartphones have added further complexity to the issue of cyberloafing behavior and it certainly evokes newer ethical concerns. This study aims to explore how working individuals perceive the ethicality of their cyberloafing behaviors at the workplace and the cognitive logics they apply to justify their cyberloafing behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

Incorporating constructivist grounded theory methodology, 19 working managers from various organizations were interviewed face-to-face and responses were audio-recorded with prior consent. The recordings were transcribed verbatim, simultaneously analyzed and coded to let the themes emerge out of the data.

Findings

The research showed that working managers use varied combinations of office computers, personal laptops, smartphones, wireless internet provided at the office and personal mobile-internet to loaf around at workplaces. Moreover, it unearthed that employees use nine different neutralization techniques and six different ethical logics (with normative undertones) in a network fashion while considering the ethicality of cyberloafing behavior.

Practical implications

Recognizing the complexities is imperative to moderate any deviant behavior in an organization. The layers of ethicality and neutralization tactics will equip the working managers and companies to place the required internet and smartphone usage policies in the future.

Originality/value

This research has taken into account all forms of cyberloafing behaviors. The perceived ethicality of cyberloafing behavior at the workplace was not fully explored in a holistic manner before, specifically in the Indian context.

Internet addiction at workplace and it implication for workers life style: Exploration from Southern India

BACKGROUND

Industries are focusing on digitization of their working environment. It helps in enhanced productivity as well as communication among workers. It also lead to higher usages of internet for non work related use at workplace. It affect their productivity at workplace. The present study was undertaken to explore internet use in Information technology (IT) industry and non IT industry, to see its consequence and effect on lifestyle and functioning.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

250 employees of various Government/Private sector organizations(using internet for more than a year and education level of graduation and above) were approached for the assessment using cross sectional research design.

RESULTS

The average age of participants was 30.4 years. 9.2% participants falling in category of occasional problems/'at risk' for developing addiction in functioning/moderate impairment due to internet use. Statistically more participants falling in 'at risk category' had reported postponement of work and change in productivity. Sleep, meals, personal hygiene and family time were postponed more by participants who were at risk for developing internet addiction.

CONCLUSIONS

The study has implications for developing a workplace based psycho-social intervention program to address the technology use issues at workplace.