12 June 2025

How has cyber technology created opportunities for workplace deviance?

Cyber technology has allowed the easy access to internet/applications that can cause workplace distractions for workers. If access is not limited for an employee’s work computer, they have the chance to lower their productivity in the workplace. An organization’s system that is not fully secure could potentially allow the distribution of sensitive information/photos/videos, cyberbullying, harassment, etc. An employee may have the ability to steal from the company by falsifying the hours they had worked, but not actually being present at the workplace. The use of AI is another big one we have developed over time that many have used to complete certain work tasks instead of looking into the information themselves. This could lead to the organization’s profits declining as well as inaccurate information stored in the organization’s data. Authorization issues with a weaker system can lead to an insider cyber-attack. The employee attempts to gain information for their own use for things like blackmail or financial gain. According to the article linked in the slideshow, a big factor in these behaviors is an employee may feel they are being mistreated or even abused in the workplace. This can start with falsifying hours worked, cyberloafing, and eventually leading to a severe issue of theft of information or funds.

References

Agwa, A. M. F. (2018). Workplace Deviance Behaviors. InTech. doi: 10.5772/intechopen.75941