Cyberloafing in the workplace is a bad thing, right?
After all, this habit of employees engaging in non-work-related internet surfing costs employers in the United States a whopping $85 billion a year. It’s reached the point that around 80 percent of employees can’t even make it a full hour without succumbing to phone notifications, websites, apps and other distractions, according to a 2024 Insightful report.
What Is Cyberloafing?
Cyberloafing is when employees use their work time to engage in non-work-related internet activities from checking social media and personal email to web browsing and more.
And with more people in flexible work situations, cyberloafing is only increasing. The initial reaction often is to stomp out cyberloafing because of its adverse impact on productivity, but research is raising questions about its potential benefits (like addressing burnout), too.
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What Is Cyberloafing?
Cyberloafing describes employees who use work time to engage in non-work-related activities on the internet, such as web browsing, using social media, or checking and responding to personal email.
Coined in 1995, the term grew in popularity in 2002 after a research paper was published on the topic. Although early research focused on cyberloafing’s unproductive and harmful effects on companies, researchers have begun to consider its potential benefits. Some workers may actually turn to cyberloafing to relieve stress on the job and browse the internet as a coping mechanism, according to a study titled “Unraveling Cyberloafing Paradox: Towards a Targeted Approach for Managing Cyberloafing.”
While employees browsing the internet, emailing friends or looking at social media when they are supposed to be working are blatant examples of cyberloafing, there are also a lot of gray areas, Bright Frimpong, a co-author of the “Unraveling Cyberloafing Paradox” study, told Built In. For example, he said, if there is a lull in your work while you wait for another team to finish a project to hand over to you, are you really cyberloafing if you use the time to check your personal email, look up sports scores or watch a YouTube video?
“It’s very difficult to pinpoint these as cyberloafing behaviors because even though they are not productive, the employee has really nothing to do at that time,” Frimpong added. “I think it’s just a matter of being productive at the right time.”
What Causes Cyberloafing?
To understand the causes of cyberloafing, you need to understand what employees are trying to achieve by it. In some instances, there are tangible benefits like learning new skills. In others, the employee might use it for a much-needed break for their mental health or well-being.
What Causes Cyberloafing?
- Loneliness and workplace issues
- Stress
- Burnout
- Workplace aggression
- Emotional or physical pain
- Boredom
- Desire to find resources that make work and life better
Loneliness and Workplace Issues
Loneliness and workplace ostracism can prompt some employees to turn to social media to offset the lack of interaction with co-workers and others, said Natalie Mason, a PhD candidate at Aston University who is researching the use of cyberloafing as a coping mechanism and authored a report on the topic published in Nature Reviews Psychology. These employees may find the emotional support they need to power through the rest of the day via social media, Mason said.
Workplace Stress
In other cases, employees are using cyberloafing as a release valve for their stress, whether it’s from feeling burned out or because of workplace aggression from others, Mason said. It can provide a mental distraction that can help employees jump back into work once their cyberloafing break is over.
Boredom and the Need to Reset
Cyberloafing can also help momentarily offset workplace boredom, allowing employees to take a mental break from their tasks and return refreshed.
Emotional or Physical Pain
Employees who lack adequate resources at work, such as an ergonomic office chair, may jump on the internet to learn of alternative resources they could use, like browsing for one. That internet activity, however, is considered a form of cyberloafing since it is not directly involved with the task at hand and is considered developing new non-work-related skills or abilities while on the job, Frimpong said.
Loose Cyberloafing Policies
Employer policies around allowing workers to bring their own electronic devices, such as smartphones, tablets or even laptops, into the workplace can also contribute to cyberloafing, since employees may feel it’s perfectly fine to use them anytime, despite being on the clock.
How to Prevent Cyberloafing
Because cyberloafing can occur for a number of reasons, employers must tailor solutions to each employee who exhibits cyberloafing tendencies.
Ways to Prevent Cyberloafing
- Set expectations on when non-work-related internet activities are allowed, and on which devices.
- Clearly note websites and social media that are prohibited.
- Identify triggers for employees who might be engaging in non-work-related internet activities to reduce emotional or physical issues.
- Have open conversations with employees to understand why they may be resorting to cyberloafing.
Set Clear Cyberloafing Guidelines
Develop clear and equitable cyberloafing HR policies. Set expectations on the amount of time or circumstances where non-work-related internet activities would be allowed either on an employee’s personal device or the company’s equipment. Be sure to clearly note the websites and social media that would be prohibited.
Explore the Root Causes of Cyberloafing Through Conversation
Rather than just address an employee’s actual cyberloafing behavior, dig deeper into the “why” with them.
“There are so many motivations that go into cyberloafing,” Frimpong said. “So, to really understand how to stop it or manage it, you need to know the motivations behind it.”
In some cases, employees may lack the self-awareness to know they are using social media at work because they feel ostracized by their teammates, but in other cases, they might be aware of this reason. In either situation, the issue should be discussed with the employee’s manager, Mason said.
“Managers need to be more understanding of why someone might go to their phone or use the internet during a time they should be productive at work,” Mason told Built In. “There should be open communication between you and your employees to understand why they are doing these actions.”
Identify Triggers for Cyberloafing
For employees who turn to cyberloafing to improve their well-being or to reduce emotional or physical discomfort, it comes down to identifying the triggers for those behaviors and then addressing them through conversations with the employee in question.
Approach More Serious Cases Through the Lens of Mental Illness
In cases where cyberloafing is excessive and interfering with meeting deadlines or completing projects, it can be useful to explore the problem through another lens.
“You have to look at cyberloafing as the same way you would diagnose mental illness,” Mason said. “If it gets in the way of your everyday life, then it’s excessive. If it’s stopping you from meeting your deadlines and doing your everyday job, it’s excessive.”
Ideally, companies can support employees with therapy services, wellness programs and other mental health-related perks. Otherwise, employers may want to consider connecting employees experiencing more serious cases of cyberloafing to local healthcare resources.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is cyberloafing?
Cyberloafing refers to employees using the internet for non-work-related purposes when they’re supposed to be working. This includes activities like scrolling through social media, answering personal emails and surfing the internet.
What is the difference between cyberslacking and cyberloafing?
Cyberslacking and cyberloafing both refer to employees using the internet for non-work-related activities during work time. The key difference is that cyberslacking also carries the connotation of trying to look busy on the computer while not actually doing work. Otherwise, the two terms overlap and are sometimes used interchangeably.
What causes cyberloafing?
Employees may turn to cyberloafing to alleviate various feelings, including loneliness, workplace stress, boredom and physical pain.
How much time do employees spend cyberloafing?
According to a 2019 study, employees can spend up to two hours per day cyberloafing.
How much does cyberloafing cost?
According to a 2019 study, cyberloafing costs companies around $85 billion each year.