Nomophobia and Its Impact on Job Performance: A Cross-Industry Investigation

Abstract

Nomophobia is the fear of being without a mobile phone or unable to use it. This study investigated the relationship between nomophobia and job performance, and the difference in the level of nomophobia and job performance among IT, teaching, and banking industries. The research questions were: (1) Is there an inverse relationship between nomophobia and job performance? (2) Is there a significant difference in the level of nomophobia and job performance among the IT, teaching, and banking industries? Previous research has suggested that nomophobia can impair cognitive functioning, reduce productivity, and increase stress. However, few studies have examined the impact of nomophobia on job performance across different industries. This study aimed to fill this gap and provide insights for employers and employees. The study used a quantitative approach and a cross-sectional design. A sample of 477 employees (159 from each industry) completed a questionnaire that measured their nomophobia and job performance. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and one-way ANOVA. The results showed that nomophobia was negatively correlated with job performance, The results also showed that there was a significant difference in job performance and nomophobia among the three industry IT professionals have significantly lower job performance but higher nomophobia scores compared to the Banking and Teaching industry. Banking professionals have better job performance than IT and Teaching industry but lower nomophobia scores compared to IT. Teaching professionals have the highest job performance scores and the highest nomophobia scores when compared to Banking. The findings suggest that nomophobia has a detrimental impact on job performance and that the level of nomophobia and job performance varies across different industries. The implications and recommendations for employers, employees, and future research are discussed.