Exploring work-life balance and fear of missing out role in the impact of cyberloafing on employee productivity and employee well-being

Abstract

With the advent of communication technologies, the workplace is increasingly using the internet, mobile devices, and computers. The present study attempts to gather information about cyberloafing and its effects on employees. Based on the Conservation of Resources theory, we examine the mediating role of employee work-life balance and the moderating role of FoMO (Fear of Missing Out) in the relationship between cyberloafing and employee productivity and well-being. The study collected samples from 420 full-time employees at Vietnamese aviation service companies. The model testing results from SMARTPLS 4 software indicated that cyberloafing is a factor that leads to inefficient resource use, thereby negatively affecting work-life balance, employee productivity, and employee well-being.

Additionally, work-life balance influences how cyberloafing affects employees’ work-life balance. FoMO also contributes to resource depletion and amplifies the negative effects of cyberloafing. The study extends the conservation of resources theory by integrating the psychological construct of the digital age and proposes managerial implications to help organizations better control the impact of cyberloafing.