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On cyberslacking: workplace status and personal internet use at work
R Kelly Garrett1, James N Danziger
1School of Communication, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210-1339, USA. garrett.258@osu.edu
Summary
Higher-status employees use the internet for personal reasons at work more frequently than lower-status employees. This finding challenges traditional assumptions about workplace internet usage patterns.
Area of Science:
- Organizational Behavior
- Workplace Psychology
- Internet Studies
Background:
- Personal internet use at work is often perceived as a behavior more common among lower-status employees.
- Existing research has not conclusively determined the relationship between employee status and personal internet use during work hours.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether higher workplace status correlates with increased personal internet use at work.
- To challenge the conventional wisdom that personal internet use is primarily a lower-status employee activity.
Main Methods:
- A national telephone survey of 1,024 employees was conducted.
- Regression analyses were employed to examine the relationship between various measures of workplace status and personal internet use.
- Workplace status was measured by occupation status, job autonomy, income, education, and gender.
Main Results:
- Contrary to common assumptions, higher-status employees reported significantly more frequent personal internet use at work.
- Factors such as occupation status, job autonomy, income, and education were positively associated with personal internet use.
- Gender also played a role in the observed patterns of internet use.
Conclusions:
- Higher workplace status is linked to greater opportunities and incentives for personal internet use.
- The study's findings suggest a re-evaluation of assumptions regarding personal internet use across different organizational hierarchies.
- Workplace policies and management practices may need to consider these nuanced usage patterns.
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