Cyberloafing and Job Performance: The Mediating Effect of Stress: Empirical Evidence from the Apparel Manufacturing in Sri Lanka

Cyberloafing is using the office provided internet facilities for non-work-related purposes. It is known to be a hindrance to job performance. This study aims to explore the mediating role of stress on cyberloafing and job performance. Data was collected from a group of merchandising managers from the apparel manufacturing industry in Sri Lanka, using a non-probability sampling technique. Drawing on the conservation of resources, transactional theory of stress and coping and social exchange theory, we explain cyberloafing, stress and job performance respectively. Data was collected from 96 managers and analyzed using covariance-based structural Equation Modeling (CB-SEM). The path model indicated that there is a positive relationship between cyberloafing and stress and a negative relationship between stress and job performance. It further indicated that cyberloafing does not negatively impact job performance. It also suggested that stress mediated the relationship between cyberloafing and job performance. These findings align with previous research on cyberloafing and stress, stress and job performance. Stress mediating the relationship between cyberloafing and performance is new to the apparel manufacturing industry in Sri Lanka. Findings of the study fills major literature gap in research and its contribution to HRM literature is substantial.