Cyberloafing: Good or bad? Understanding psychological pathways among startup employees

Background This study examines cyberloafing within a broader process linking workload, psychological strain, and innovative work behavior. It focuses on job stress and emotional exhaustion as distinct psychological pathways through which workload may be associated with cyberloafing among startup employees. Methods Cross-sectional survey data were collected from 243 employees working in Indonesian startups using purposive sampling. The proposed direct and indirect relationships were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling with SmartPLS 4.1. Results Workload was positively associated with job stress, emotional exhaustion, and cyberloafing. Job stress was positively associated with cyberloafing, whereas emotional exhaustion was negatively associated with cyberloafing. Cyberloafing was positively associated with innovative work behavior. The serial indirect relationship from workload to innovative work behavior through job stress and cyberloafing was positive, while the corresponding pathway through emotional exhaustion and cyberloafing was negative. Conclusions Cyberloafing should not be viewed as inherently good or bad. Its role is better understood within the psychological pathway that precedes it and the work behavior that follows it.