Unauthorized Fun at Work (Goofing Off): Predictors and Implications1
Wayne H. Decker

Abstract
College students enrolled in business courses completed a survey concerning their “goofing off” or “playing around” in job settings. The opportunity to goof off (low workload and minimal supervision), a lack of intrinsic motivation, and viewing one’s work duties as resembling a game were better predictors of self-reported goofing-off behaviors than were the respondent’s gender and ratings of the supervisors’ leadership attributes. Men, however, did report engaging in goofing off more at work than did women. The correlation between viewing one’s work duties as resembling game and goofing off was positive, but relatively low, suggesting the two are largely independent. While personal values are likely to have a significant influence on goofing off, managers can more easily control the opportunity to goof off and some motivational aspects of jobs.

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