Empirical analysis of job design and social cyberloafing via moral disengagement and work boredom

Abstract

Orientation: In this article, the role of workplace boredom and moral disengagement was investigated as mediating variables between the job characteristics model and social cyberloafing.
Research purpose: Identifying the causes of social cyberloafing will help to understand this counterproductive behaviour and guide employers to develop policies which increase productivity and Internet utilisation.
Motivation for the study: Limited study exists on the role of Job Design and Social Cyberloafing particularly with the mediating role of moral disengagement and boredom. this study aims to identify how morals and feelings intervene with the way jobs are designed and their counterproductive outcomes.
Research approach/design and method: This study provides one-of-a-kind, in-depth, deconstructed approach to the job characteristics model with 368 samples taken from various industries. Overall, the results of the three-wave data provide strong evidence for the hypothesised relationships.
Main findings: This research suggests that lack of skill variety, task identity and task significance affect moral disengagement, workplace boredom and subsequently social cyberloafing.
Practical/managerial implications: Managers should pay attention to this problem and prioritise job design, particularly focusing on defining tasks and key performance indicators. Investing in job design yields substantial benefits by fostering a competitive advantage through the cultivation of a diligent, cooperative and loyal workforce. It also plays a crucial role in mitigating employee boredom and moral disengagement, which are significant drivers of social cyberloafing.
Contribution/value-add: Various research has highlighted the impact of job design on various outcomes and behaviours. However, most research has not focused on emotion regulation mechanisms incorporating feelings and their relationship between work-individual behaviours. Therefore, this study aims to achieve that in a Pakistani environment.