IMPACT OF INTERNET ON EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE (A CASE STUDY OF FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, MINNA)

This study examines the impact of internet usage on employee performance at the Federal University of Technology, Minna. The research aimed to assess the extent of internet usage among employees, evaluate its impact on productivity and efficiency, identify internet-related challenges, and test the significance of the relationship between internet usage, challenges, and employee performance. A descriptive survey research design was adopted, and data were collected from 300 respondents using a structured questionnaire. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics and the Chi-Square test to determine the statistical significance of the relationships. The findings revealed that 90% of respondents had access to the internet at the workplace, with 80% using it daily for work-related activities such as research and communication. While 90% of respondents believed that internet usage positively influences their work efficiency and productivity, the Chi-Square test result (χ² = 380.83, p = 1.0) indicated that this relationship was not statistically significant at the 5% significance level. Similarly, internet-related challenges such as slow connection (50%), network downtime (30%), and high data costs (10%) were acknowledged, but they were found to have no significant effect on employee performance (χ² = 132.00, p = 1.0). The study concludes that while internet usage is widely perceived as beneficial, its measurable impact on employee performance is not statistically significant. Based on the findings, the study recommends improving internet infrastructure, introducing policies to enhance productive use of the internet, strengthening network security, and providing regular training on effective internet usage. The study’s limitations include its focus on a single institution and the reliance on self-reported data. Future research should explore other institutions, use objective performance indicators, and examine additional internet-related challenges. The findings provide valuable insights into optimizing internet usage to improve employee productivity at the Federal University of Technology, Minna.