Web Browsing While At Work Boosts Productivity, Morale

Oct. 20, 2011
A recent WSJ story highlighted a research management paper entitled "Impact of Cyberloafing on Psychological Engagement" which surfaced the following somewhat surprising finding: allowing knowledge workers to surf the internet during work hours can boost ...

A recent WSJ story highlighted a research management paper entitled "Impact of Cyberloafing on Psychological Engagement" which surfaced the following somewhat surprising finding: allowing knowledge workers to surf the internet during work hours can boost morale and productivity.

Although it seemed counterintuitive to me at first (isn't aimless browsing, by definition, cutting into productivity?) upon reading her explanation, the lead researcher's hypothesis seemed quite reasonable: she theorizes that web surfers "usually choose to visit only the sites that they like—it's like going for a coffee or snack break. Breaks of such nature are pleasurable, rejuvenating the Web surfer;" on the other hand, email is "cognitively more demanding, relative to Web surfing, as you need to pay attention to what is said on the email."

Of course, that is presupposing that we pay attention to what is in our email. Either way, you now have a ready-made defense the next time your boss looks over your shoulder -- tell them you're boosting your productivity and morale.

And send them this link: https://bitly.com/mfg20blog ... guaranteed to boost productivity.

http://www.blogcdn.com/downloadsquad.switched.com/media/2009/02/safari-4-beta.jpg

Popular Sponsored Recommendations

Legacy Phone Lines Are Draining Your Profits

Oct. 30, 2023
Copper wire phone line expenses that support emergency devices could be costing your company millions of dollars in wasteful overhead expenses. Rates have been skyrocketing while...

Discover How an Eye Tracking Study Improves Training Procedures

Oct. 29, 2023
Did you know that your training processes can be streamlined by visualizing and analyzing key skills within your employee base? Find out how we use eye tracking to capture advanced...

Digitally Transforming Data and Processes With Product Lifecycle Management

Oct. 29, 2023
Manufacturers face increasing challenges in product development as they strive to consistently deliver improved results. Discover how industry leaders are improving time-to-market...

Digitally Transforming Data and Processes With Product Lifecycle Management

Oct. 29, 2023
Manufacturers face increasing challenges in product development as they strive to consistently deliver improved results. Discover how industry leaders are improving time-to-market...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of IndustryWeek, create an account today!