While cyber technology has opened the doors to streamline company efficiency and workload, it has also opened up doors that advance common workplace deviance, and this deviance can harm a company’s internal infrastructure if not managed and stopped. 

            As companies and jobs move towards a more digital and cyber-focused landscape, cyber technology opens up many pathways for workplace deviance to occur. Workplace deviance is not always malicious; it can also simply be unethical acts committed in a workspace. According to Jones (2023), any act committed in cyberspace that violates “company rules, norms, or expectations, usually resulting in harm to the organization or its members” can be considered workplace deviance committed through cyber technology. Some examples of this include serious infractions like misusing company data, accessing unauthorized content, or spreading malware, while some tamer examples of workplace deviance in cyberspace include cyberloafing or inappropriate communication using workplace servers/platforms.

            By implementing technology into the day-to-day lives of most workers, workplace deviance opportunities have increased far beyond simply stealing office supplies or clocking in for a friend when they miss work. Workplace deviance can now have profound implications on the operations of the company and the overall integrity of its security. Now, with these opportunities being options for any common worker, companies must ensure that they work on securing their facilities and only trusting individuals with proper clearance and ability to have access to sensitive information and locations within the company’s infrastructure. Only then can workplace deviance be limited to minor infractions and issues with simple solutions. 

References:

Jones, J. W. (2023, November 21). Employee Cybercrime and Deviance: A Loss Prevention Psychology Perspective. Loss Prevention Media. Retrieved November 11, 2024, from https://losspreventionmedia.com/employee-cybercrime-and-deviance-a-loss-prevention-psychology-perspective/Links to an external site.