Personal internet use at work: Understanding cyberslacking

This study addresses cyberslacking, defined as the use of internet and mobile technology for personal purposes during work hours. It’s a growing concern for organizations due to potential lost revenue. The study, using a nationally representative sample of American workers, examines the relationship between nine cyberslacking behaviors and various demographic and work-specific predictors. Three measures of cyberslacking are used for a comprehensive analysis: individual behaviors, frequency of cyberslacking, and variety of cyberslacking. Findings suggest that being younger, male, and a racial minority, along with routinized internet use at work and higher perceived internet utility, positively predict cyberslacking variety and frequency. The study expands on previous research and suggests directions for future research.