Deviance in the Internet Use in Working Environment: Key Factors and Remedies based on an Exploratory Study

Deviance, in a sociological context, is understood as actions or behaviours that violate social norms, including formally-enacted rules, as well as informal violations of social norms. Deviant behaviour related to Internet was studied mainly as a technology enabling misuse and addiction. In this paper deviant behaviour is studied in the context of two phenomena the addiction to the on-line services and the: abuse in the work place. Both phenomena enact the working forms and cause loss of productivity. As organizations and companies try to minimize the productivity losses resulting from their employees’ Internet abuse in work place different approaches are used to solve the problem, some of them like e-surveillance and social control are in conflict with the social norms and the legislation order. The study presented in the paper explores the relationship between a person addicted to the Internet, and the factors that influence the abuse in the workplace. The study results discover whether these two phenomena are the result of the work environment like poor organizational structure in the company or bad human relationships. Another intention of the study was to find out whether the disciplinary measures applied to deter the Internet abuse have effects on the employees behaviour. The study results have shown that the occurrence of Internet abuse in workplace is not strongly related to the work conditions like the bad relationships with co-workers or managers, the missing actions for remuneration or recognition of the good work, and lack of paths for career advancement. The awareness of being e-surveyed by the employer, or being warned with personal messages about the misuse of Internet cause the time spent on the Internet for non-working purposes by the employee to decline. The study was carried out on an exhaustive sample inform an EU member state country where the legislative approach in employee e-surveying differ from other world regions. Managers were involved in this study to light up their everyday practice in deterring the Internet abuse in work place in view of the existing law for employee privacy protection in communication.