Workplace ostracism and cyberloafing: a moderated–mediation model

Purpose This purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between workplace ostracism and cyberloafing, based on the premise of conservation of resources theory. Emotional exhaustion is tested as a mediator between workplace ostracism and cyberloafing, whereas facilitating conditions are predicted as a moderator that influences employees’ reaction to ostracism. Design/methodology/approach Survey data were collected via the online platform Amazon Mechanical Turk. Partial least squares analysis, a variance-based structural equation modelling, was utilised to verify the research model. Findings The results show that both workplace ostracism and emotional exhaustion have a significant positive relationship with cyberloafing. Likewise, emotional exhaustion partially mediates the relationship between workplace ostracism and cyberloafing. Interestingly, facilitating conditions do not moderate the emotional exhaustion–cyberloafing relationship but do moderate the ostracism–cyberloafing relationship. Counterintuitively, the relationship between workplace ostracism and cyberloafing becomes stronger when facilitating conditions are high. A post hoc analysis has been conducted using PROCESS Macro to test the conditional indirect effect but was found not significant. Originality/value Previous studies have revealed the association between workplace ostracism with various negative work behaviours, such as knowledge hiding, knowledge hoarding and counterproductive work behaviours. This study has successfully identified that workplace ostracism can also result in cyberloafing, which has not been delved into previous works. This has subsequently provided managers with new perspectives regarding why employees engage in non-work-related online activities at work.