Framework for Evaluating the Impact of Technological Cyberloafing Control on Employee Performance: a Case of Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission in Kenya

Abstract

Over the years, organizational operations have become highly computerized with almost all processes incorporating aspects of computing in their undertaking. Apart from installing computing infrastructures to facilitate the operations, organizations have integrated internet and email systems to enable communication, linkage to external stakeholders and provide for external information gathering. While these installations are useful in enhancing productivity and efficiency in operations, employees often slack off from work by using the technologies for personal purposes. This behavior, referred to as cyberloafing, has become a challenge to organizations with associated negative consequences. A major consequence of the behavior is that it impacts negatively on employee performance by disrupting official work programs and denying computing resources to official activities. A common mechanism that organizations have adopted to control this behavior is installation of technological control solutions in form of monitoring and filtering systems. There is however no much information on how to evaluate the value of these control systems. To bridge the gap, this study proposed an evaluation framework that can aid in determining their impact on employee performance. The proposed framework was tested using technological cyberloafing control in Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) in Kenya. Data was collected from 116 employees of the institution and analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27. During the assessment, it was established that the control in EACC has impacted positively on employee performance through reducing cyberloafing and being perceived fair by employees. The study also identified that in order to reduce cyberloafing, the control systems should have capacity to detect any attempts and enforce defined sanctions. Issuing advance notice should also be part of control implementation process for it to be perceived fair by employees. A resulting framework was identified which considers the capability of cyberloafing control to detect, enforce, reduce the behavior and be perceived fair by employees. The study concluded by recommending that as a means of assessing value on ICT investments, organizations need to determine the impact of technological cyberloafing control on employee performance. Detection and enforcement capabilities should also be considered as key technical requirements when these solutions are being acquired and installed.