AN ASSESSMENT OF THE PREVALENCE AND IMPLICATIONS OF CYBERLOAFING BEHAVIOUR AMONG CIVIL SERVANTS IN CAMEROON

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

These days, using the internet at work is a must. The internet has had a big effect on businesses and groups. Most companies, though, give their workers access to the internet to help them do their jobs effectively. However, giving workers access to the internet at work may also make it easier for them to do things that aren't helpful, like cyberloafing, which can hurt their work performance and productivity (Pindek et al., 2018). Lim (2022) says that cyberloafing, which is the act of wasting time on the internet doing things that aren't linked to work, is a big problem for employers. This is mostly because so many people have access to the internet on their phones, computers, and other electronics. Cyberloafing at work can take up to two hours a day, according to estimates, which costs companies $85 billion a year (Andel et al., 2019). Because of this, cyberloafing is usually seen as a waste of time or money that isn't good for business and could cost the company money (Pindek et al., 2018). But not every act of cyberloafing has the same result. In contrast to what most people think, Lim and Chen (2022) discovered that cyberloafing can have good effects, such as making employees happier and more interested in their work (Syrek et al., 2018). This behavior could be caused by a desire to get back at someone for being unfair, to deal with stress, or because of a lack of self-control resources (Wagner et al., 2019). Andel et al. (2019) did a study that found cyberloafing can be a way for office workers to deal with stress. This helps a lot when you're dealing with difficult situations, like work stress caused by seeing violence at work. Henle and Blanchard (2018) also said that things that make people stressed at work (work stressors) can make people cyberloaf, like unclear roles and conflicts between roles. Unfortunately, both of these things are bad and can hurt both people and businesses. They can make people unhappy with their jobs, make them more anxious at work, make them tired, and cause more people to quit their jobs. There is also less work getting done and less dedication to the company overall because of these problems (Koustelios et al., 2018; Palomino & Frezatti, 2016; Tarrant & Sabo, 2020; Usman & Xiao, 2017). There are different reasons why employees do things like cyberloafing. Lots of research has been done to try to figure out why people do this, and the results show that stress or pressure at work, such as unclear job duties, role conflicts, and too many responsibilities, can make people do things like cyberloafing. When workers are stressed at work in any way, they will turn to cyberloafing to relax (Sawitria & Runninging, 2022). Companies can make and use successful intervention programs and policies to stop or limit this behavior by figuring out what makes people act in this way.Therefore, a survey will be conducted in order to assess the prevalence and implications of cyberloafing behaviour among civil servants in Cameroon.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Cyberloafing, the act of employees utilizing internet-connected devices for non-job-related activities during work hours, is becoming more common in contemporary organizations. The increased use of technology and internet access has led to this behavior, which presents substantial issues for enterprises globally, including public sector entities like civil service agencies in Cameroon. 

In recent years, Cameroon, like with many other countries, has experienced a significant growth in digital technology and the widespread use of the internet. Although these technological improvements provide various advantages in terms of communication, information dissemination, and effectiveness, they also pose distinct issues regarding employee conduct and productivity. Civil servants, who are given the duty of providing crucial public services, are not exempt from the allure of cyberloafing. Similarly, any elements that influence the efficiency and effectiveness of government employees can have substantial consequences on the provision of services and the overall management of the government. Furthermore, the implications of cyberloafing have an impact that goes beyond individual employees and affects the whole dynamics and outcomes of the firm (Feng, 2018). Cyberloafing in excess can have a detrimental impact on staff productivity, morale, and job satisfaction, resulting in reduced efficiency and effectiveness in civil service organizations. (Askew, 2018) Additionally, it can exert pressure on working relationships, corrode trust between employees and managers, and lead to a detrimental organizational culture marked by diminished accountability and motivation. Moreover, the high occurrence of cyberloafing among civil personnel in Cameroon could have significant consequences for wider societal concerns, including government transparency, accountability, and the distribution of resources. If a substantial amount of work hours is dedicated to activities unrelated to work, it gives rise to issues over the efficient usage of public resources and the government's capacity to efficiently execute its responsibilities. Thus, it is in the light of these that the study seeks to assess the prevalence and implications of cyberloafing behaviour among civil servants in Cameroon.

1.3  Objectives of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to assess the prevalence and implications of cyberloafing behaviour among civil servants in Cameroon. Specifically, the study will;

a. Determine the prevalence of cyber loafing behaviors among civil servants in Cameroon.

b. Identify the underlying reasons driving cyberloafing behaviors among civil servants in Cameroon.

c. Investigate the implications of cyberloafing on civil servants productivity in Cameroon.

1.4 Research Questions

The following questions have been prepared for the study:

a. What is the prevalence of cyberloafing behaviors among civil servants in Cameroon?

b. What are the underlying reasons driving cyberloafing behaviors among civil servants in Cameroon?

c. What are the implications of cyberloafing on civil servants' productivity in Cameroon?

1.5  Research Hypotheses

H0: There is no significant relationship between the prevalence of cyberloafing behavior among civil servants in Cameroon and its implications on their productivity.

Ha: There is a significant relationship between the prevalence of cyberloafing behavior among civil servants in Cameroon and its implications on their productivity.

1.6  Significance of the Study

The results of this study will give a full account of cyberloafing and suggest ways to deal with the problems that come up from doing it. Also, the research will show employees that cyberloafing can lead to a variety of results, some good and some bad, based on the actions and behaviors involved. Additionally, businesses will be able to use the study to stop the bad effects of cyberloafing. A lot of companies will also be able to make rules about how people can use the internet at work. This implementation takes into account the fact that workers might use the internet in a bad way while they're at work. Further more, subsequent researchers will use it as a literature review. This means that other students who may decide to conduct studies in this area will have the opportunity to use this study as available literature that can be subjected to critical review. Invariably, the result of the study contributes immensely to the body of academic knowledge with regard to the prevalence and implications of cyberloafing behaviour among civil servants in Cameroon.

1.7 Scope of the study

The scope of this study is boarded on the prevalence and implications of cyberloafing behaviour among civil servants in Cameroon. Empirically, the study will determine the prevalence of cyberloafing behaviors among civil servants in Cameroon, identify the underlying reasons driving cyberloafing behaviors among civil servants in Cameroon and investigate the implications of cyberloafing on civil servants productivity in Cameroon.

Geographically, the study will be delimited to  civil servants in Limbe, Cameroon.

1.8 Limitation of the study

In the course of carrying out this study, the researcher experienced some constraints, which included time constraints, financial constraints, language barriers, and the attitude of the respondents. In addition, there was the element of researcher bias. Here, the researcher possessed some biases that may have been reflected in the way the data was collected, the type of people interviewed or sampled, and how the data gathered was interpreted thereafter. The potential for all this to influence the findings and conclusions could not be downplayed. More so, the findings of this study are limited to the sample population in the study area, hence they may not be suitable for use in comparison to other schools, local governments, states, and other countries in the world.

 1.9 Definition of Terms

Employee: a person employed for wages or salary.

Productivity: the state or quality of being productive. It is the effectiveness of productive effort, especially in an organization, as measured in terms of the rate of output per unit of input.

Cyberloafing: is a terminology which can be described as the action of employees who use the internet for non-work related activities or personal use during their working hours while pretending to do official work.