ARE YOU A CYBER LOAFER?

Read the questions given below, then look for their answers in the following passage and then write the answers:

1. What does a cyber loafer do?

2. What are the disadvantages of cyber-loafing?
3. What are the advantages of cyber-loafing?
4. Why do employees indulge in cyber-loafing?
5. What do you understand by the term hyper-connectivity?
6. How does cyber-connectivity affect work-life balance?
7. What does the writer mean by gaining work-life flexibility?
8. Which type of employees, according to the writer, can draw best results from cyber-loafing?
9. Find the words and expressions used in the passage the meanings of which are given below:
i. Intending to do harm, ii. An agent that provokes or speeds significant change or action, iii. The process of
increasing or rising, iv. Forced or obliged

ARE YOU A CYBER LOAFER?

by
Fauzia Kerai Khan

‘Cyber-loafing’ also known as ‘cyber-slacking’ is becoming the norm for employees today. It entails using the
internet for non-work related purposes such as sending personal emails, chatting, on-line shopping and spending time on
social media. In essence, cyber-loafing is the modern equivalent of counterproductive workplace behavior and although the
activity lacks malicious intent, its negative consequences can be trivial as temporary employee distractions to more serious
ones such as causing a serious drain on company resources or compromising their security.

However, according to several research studies conducted recently, cyber-loafing may not always have a negative
impact. A study suggests that it may even increase employee productivity and well-being. This is because internet browsing
can have a positive impact on employee’s emotions as it allows for a certain measure of stress release. It can also boost
productivity in some cases by providing employees with a short break so they can restore their energy and recover their
concentration.

There is no specific cause of cyber-loafing in the workplace. Internet connectivity is the primary catalyst, but
anything from spare time to discontentment with the job and sleep deprivation can cause an escalation in cyber-loafing. As
demands in the workplace surge, employees tend to turn to cyber-loafing in an attempt to regulate their work-life balance.

While it is fairly common for employees to engage in personal online activities during their work hours, it is also
true that their work may also infringe upon their personal lives. With devices and on line tools that encourage 2407
connectivity to the workplace, one study suggests that employees who receive company provided smart phones feel
compelled to be constantly connected and responsive to work at all times. As a result, these ‘hyper-connected’ employees are
increasingly struggling to manage the ‘spillover’ between work and life demands.

Hence, cyber-loafing and cyber-connectivity can be seen as two sides of the same coin with people engaging in
personal online activities while in the workplace and work activities while at home; this in turn, blurs the line between work-
life balance for most people.

Studies reveal that employees today are not seeking ‘balance’. Instead, they are seeking ‘work-life flexibility’,
where the employees control the amount of time they dedicate to work and life, desegregating the two as necessary and
making the boundaries more permeable.

Therefore, if an employee does not mind taking work home, they should also have the option to buy their best
friend’s birthday present online while they are at work.

In other words, for employees who are diligent and productive, cyber-loafing may not be a bad thing at all. As
research shows, if employees are provided flexibility that promotes a better work-life balance, it can boost their productivity
significantly.