Cyberloafing influence on employee performance in Ethiopian public higher education institutions within a work engagement and conscientiousness framework

This study examines the influence of cyberloafing on employee performance in Ethiopian public higher education institutions (HEIs), with particular emphasis on the mediating role of work engagement and the moderating role of conscientiousness. Using a quantitative, cross-sectional design, data were collected from 332 administrative employees across four public universities in the Amhara Regional State and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that cyberloafing has a significant negative effect on both employee performance and work engagement. Work engagement partially mediates the relationship between cyberloafing and employee performance. At the same time, conscientiousness buffers the negative effect of cyberloafing on work engagement and weakens the indirect effect on performance. This study contributes to the literature by integrating Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, Job Demands–Resources (JD–R) theory, and Trait Activation Theory within a moderated mediation framework, while providing empirical evidence from an under-researched Ethiopian public-sector context. The findings offer practical insights for higher education managers seeking to mitigate cyberloafing through strategies that enhance employee engagement and strengthen self-regulatory interventions.