THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN DISTRACTING EMPLOYEES: A STUDY ON PRODUCTIVITY LOSS

Abstract

 The pervasiveness of social media platforms has transformed the modern workplace, introducing a potent source of distraction that challenges traditional notions of productivity. This article examines the role of social media as a significant distracter in the professional environment and its consequent impact on employee productivity. Through a synthesis of empirical research from organizational psychology and behavioural economics, this paper argues that social media engagement, characterized by its interactive and rewarding nature, induces frequent task-switching, which fragments attention and incurs substantial cognitive costs. These costs manifest as increased time-on-task, a higher propensity for errors, and a reduction in the quality of work output. This review concludes that while social media can offer informal learning and networking benefits, its uncontrolled use during work hours primarily functions as a driver of productivity loss, necessitating strategic management and individual self-regulation.