The effect of abusive supervision on cyber loafing: Investigating the moderating role of moral disengagement in public sector employees in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Abusive supervision, characterised by the persistent exhibition of hostile verbal and non-verbal conduct by supervisors while excluding physical aggression, has emerged as a salient issue within public sector organisations. In hierarchical contexts such as the Sri Lankan public sector, such supervisory practices may engender deviant behaviors, exemplified by cyberloafing, which pertains to employees’ involvement in non-work-related online activities during designated work hours. Notwithstanding the escalating apprehensions regarding productivity detriment, the psychological mechanisms that underlie this association remain inadequately investigated. This study examines whether a relationship exists between abusive supervision and cyberloafing among public sector employees and whether moral disengagement acts as a moderating variable in this relationship, grounded on Social Exchange Theory and Social Cognitive Theory. A quantitative survey methodology was employed, encompassing a sample of 150 full-time employees from various District Secretariat Offices in Sri Lanka. A convenience sampling technique was utilised, and data were collected through an online questionnaire that incorporated validated measures for abusive supervision, cyberloafing, and moral disengagement, all assessed on five-point Likert scales. Correlation, regression, and moderation analyses were performed utilising IBM SPSS Statistics. The findings revealed a statistically significant positive association between abusive supervision and cyberloafing (β = 0.31, p < 0.01), and moral disengagement was found to significantly moderate this relationship (interaction term β = 0.21, p < 0.05), suggesting that employees exhibiting elevated levels of moral disengagement were more predisposed to engage in cyberloafing under conditions of abusive supervision. These results contribute to the theoretical area by synthesising social exchange and social cognitive theories to elucidate workplace deviance and underscore the practical necessity of addressing abusive supervision through initiatives such as ethical leadership training, respectful communication, and mechanisms for confidential reporting. Future inquiries may consider the adoption of longitudinal research designs to investigate the enduring dynamics of these relationships and to explore additional variables. Together, the study highlights the criticality of leadership behavior and employees’ moral reasoning in alleviating counterproductive actions, thereby providing invaluable insights for scholars, practitioners, and policymakers in cultivating ethical and productive environments within the public sector.