Purpose

Gamification has been constantly demonstrated as an effective mechanism for employee engagement. However, little is known about how gamification reduces cyberloafing and the mechanism by which it affects cyberloafing in the workplace. This study draws inspiration from self-determination and social bonding theories to explain how game dynamics, namely, personalised challenges, social interactivity and progression status, enhance tacit knowledge sharing behaviour, which, in turn, reduces cyberloafing. In addition, the study also examines the negative moderating effect of fear of failure on the positive relationship between game dynamics and tacit knowledge sharing.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a sample of 250 employees from information technology organisations, the study employed a 3-wave study to examine the conditional indirect effects.

Findings

The results ascertain that tacit knowledge sharing plays a central role in the relationship between gamification and cyberloafing. Further, game dynamics positively influenced tacit knowledge sharing, which in turn reduced cyberloafing. Especially, social interactivity and progression status greatly reduced cyberloafing behaviour when the fear of failure was low.

Originality/value

This study is one of the initial studies that suggest gamification as a progressive tool to reduce workplace cyberloafing behaviours. It utilises a problematisation approach to analyse and criticise the in-house assumptions regarding cyberloafing prevention measures. Further, the study proposes a conceptual model explaining the link between gamification and cyberloafing through alternate assumptions.

中文翻译：

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游戏化作为职场网络闲散的灵丹妙药：自决和社会联系理论的应用

 目的

游戏化不断被证明是提高员工敬业度的有效机制。然而，人们对游戏化如何减少网络闲散及其影响工作场所网络闲散的机制知之甚少。这项研究从自我决定和社会联系理论中汲取灵感，解释了游戏动态（即个性化挑战、社会互动性和进展状态）如何增强隐性知识共享行为，从而减少网络闲逛。此外，该研究还检验了害怕失败对博弈动态与隐性知识共享之间的正向关系的负向调节作用。

设计/方法论/途径

该研究以信息技术组织的 250 名员工为样本，采用三波研究来检验条件间接影响。

 发现

结果表明，隐性知识共享在游戏化和网络闲散之间的关系中发挥着核心作用。此外，游戏动态对隐性知识共享产生积极影响，从而减少网络闲逛。特别是，当对失败的恐惧较低时，社交互动和进步状态会大大减少网络闲散行为。

 原创性/价值

这项研究是表明游戏化作为减少工作场所网络闲散行为的渐进工具的初步研究之一。它采用问题化方法来分析和批评有关网络闲置预防措施的内部假设。此外，该研究提出了一个概念模型，通过替代假设解释游戏化和网络闲逛之间的联系。