CYBERLOAFING AND STRESS: EVIDENCE FROM THE LARGE-SCALE APPAREL MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY IN SRI LANKA

Abstract

Objective: Cyberloafing, engaging in non-work-related activities at work, is extensive in modern work settings, which are information communication-enabled. The extant research frequently highlights its negative effects on organisations and employees. Researchers have started to explore its positive impact on employees and organisations. This study contributes to this exploration by examining the impact of cyberloafing on stress. We draw from the conservation of resources and the transactional theory of stress and coping to explain cyberloafing and stress. Design: Data from 322 merchandisers from the apparel manufacturing sector in Sri Lanka were analysed using PLS-SEM. Main outcomes: It was found that cyberloafing did not function as a medium to promote stress. Results: Results indicated that cyberloafing did not cause stress but served as a tool to mitigate stress. Conclusions: This suggests that cyberloafing in organisations can serve as a tool to mitigate stress resulting from work. Moreover, it is possible to suggest that the cohort examined in the study managed their level of cyberloafing to ensure that it did not exceed the limit that might influence stress. They were able to perceive stress appropriately and engage suitable actions to reduce it. These findings imply that organisations should refrain from prohibiting cyberloafing completely and ensure that it functions within guided limits to guarantee that employees achieve their performance goals. This research is confined to a specific cohort in the apparel manufacturing industry; hence, it needs more research in the future to assess cyberloafing and its impact on stress in the industry.

Keywords: Apparel Manufacturing, Cyberloafing, ICT-enabled, Merchandisers, Stress,