Back in April 2009, I released the results of my Freedom to Surf study, finding a positive correlation between Workplace Internet Leisure Browsing, and employee productivity. Since then I have been inundated with questions from reporters and fellow academics wanting to know more. Below I have summarized some FAQs.

Q.
Can you briefly summarize the relationship you have found between WILB and productivity?

A.
My main prediction was that WILB had a positive effect on worker productivity. In my study, I found support for this prediction –those office workers who WILBed were approximately 12% more productive than those who didn’t (or couldn’t) WILB.

Q.
Why did you want to study the effects of WILB on productivity?

A.
Increasingly I noticed press reports of employees getting punished or even losing their jobs for surfing the internet while at work. I had been studying internet consumer behavior for many years, and it somehow didn't seem right that employers would assume that WILBing is akin to goofing off. In fact, based on some exploratory work I had strong reason to suspect that WILBing should have a positive effect on employee performance. My main aim is to educate employers on how they can maximise the performance of their employees.

Q.
How did you measure productivity?

A.
Productivity was measured using the Endicott Worker Productivity Scale.

Q.
Why do you think that surfing has this positive effect on productivity?

A.
There are two reasons:

1) We need breaks in our workday (much like we need to take breaks when driving a long distance). Concentration levels in the tasks we perform begin to wane fairly quickly after about an hour or so. But, not all breaks restore concentration to the same extent. For example, a walk in the forest will refresh your mind much faster and to a greater extent than simply sitting in a lunch room. WILB is similarly an enjoyable activity, which enables efficient restoration of concentration. WILB tasks such as organising financial matters online actually don’t affect productivity, but enjoyable WILB tasks such as watching uTube or updating Facebook do.

2) Overwhelmingly, management research suggests that workers who feel they have a degree of freedom in the workplace perform better than those who feel they a stifled and not in control (E.g., Google is well known for giving space to workers so they can innovate). Health benefits are also evident: Those who feel they are not in control at work have a higher chance of heart attack. The internet is now so firmly ingrained in our lives, that if you block or restrict access to it, it makes us feel like we are not in control. The result is less motivation to give 100% in the workplace, and less loyalty to employer.

Q.
In the following graph, it appears that productivity was boosted the most when people read non-work blogs (including Twitter and Facebook). Is that accurate?

A.
I believe the graphs show evidence that enjoyable (and possibly effortless) WILB activity (watching uTube, Facebooking), has a more positive effect on productivity than relatively mundane internet tasks such as internet banking and even shopping (for men at least!). My current line of study will find direct evidence of this prediction.

Who coined the term 'Workplace Internet Leisure Browsing' (WILB)?
A.
I coined this term because I did not know what else to call it. I have since learned of other academics who have studied this phenomenon who use the alternative term "Personal Web Usage".

Q.
According to your research, what are the most popular WILB activities?

A.
The following graph suggests which activities are more common than others:

Q.
How much people who use the Internet at work engage in WILB?

A.
71%

Q.
What is the limit of WILBing?

The data show up to 12% of workday WILBing could be considered OK. Any more time than that however and productivity starts to drop.

Q.

What are you working on now?

A.
My current research is looking at how to foster employee creativity and output efficiency.

Q.
Where can I get a copy of the official Freedom to Surf report?

A.
I will post the report on this blog as soon as it is published.