From distractions to detox : analyzing how recovery experiences mediate the relationship between social cyberloafing and social sustainability

Abbas, Jawad (author), Dabić, Marina (author), Halaszovich, Tilo (author)

Purpose – Society 5.0, which places humans at the forefront, utilizes Industry 4.0 technologies to enhance social sustainability and quality of life. This study takes an innovative approach by investigating the role of social cyberloafing in promoting social sustainability in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through integrating technological recovery experiences, such as relaxation, psychological detachment, mastery experiences, and control during leisure. Design/methodology/approach – Employing the effort recovery model, this study explains whether social cyberloafing affects social sustainability. The empirical data from two hundred and fifty-four individuals from manufacturing and services SME firms in Turkey were collected and analyzed via a structural equation model. Findings – Structural analysis indicates that social cyberloafing positively impacts employees’ social sustainability and recovery experiences. Moreover, two constructs of recovery experiences, psychological detachment and relaxation, fully mediate the relationship between social cyberloafing and social sustainability, whereas mastery experiences and control during leisure play insignificant roles. Practical implications – These findings challenge the traditional management view of cyberloafing as harmful and distracting. They demonstrate that social cyberloafing can be a beneficial recovery experience, but excessive cyberloafing can also hinder social performance. This insight is crucial for managers and policy- makers, who should consider the holistic effects of social cyberloafing on social sustainability. Originality/value – This study offers novel contributions to the effect of social cyberloafing on the social sustainability of SME firms’ employees. The findings illustrate how social cyberloafing can serve as a recovery experience and improve social sustainability; however, excessive cyberloafing can also hinder social performance. SMEs must be aware of this potential downside and manage cyberloafing effectively.

• Language: English
• Keywords: social cyberloafing, recovery experiences, social sustainability, Society 5.0, family business, crisis management, resilience, innovations
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: EF - School of Economics and Business
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: Str. 214-134
• Numbering: Vol. 31, iss. 11
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-177853
• UDC: 658
• ISSN on article: 1355-2554
• DOI: 10.1108/IJEBR-07-2024-0772
• COBISS.SI-ID: 241240067
• Publication date in RUL: 09.01.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: International journal of entrepreneurial behavior & research
• Shortened title: Int. j. entrep. behav. res.
• Publisher: Emerald
• ISSN: 1355-2554
• COBISS.SI-ID: 2370332

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: krizni management, odpornost, inovacije

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P5-0441
• Name: Regeneracija ekonomije in posla