Electronic Performance Monitoring in the Digital Workplace: Conceptualization, Review of Effects and Moderators, and Future Research Opportunities

Abstract

The rise of digital and interconnected technology within the workplace, including programs that facilitate monitoring and surveillance of employees is unstoppable. The COVID-19-induced lockdowns and the resulting increase in home office adoption even increased this trend. Apart from major benefits that may come along with such information and communication technologies (e.g., productivity increases, better resource planning, and increased worker safety), they also enable comprehensive Electronic Performance Monitoring (EPM) which may also have negative effects (e.g., increased stress and a reduction in job satisfaction). This conceptual article investigates EPM to better understand the development, adoption, and impact of EPM systems in organizations. The EPM literature published since the 1980s constitutes the basis for this conceptual article. We present a framework which is intended to serve as foundation for future studies. Moreover, we reviewed more than three decades of empirical EPM research and identified six major outcomes that are influenced by the use of an EPM system, as well as a large number of moderator variables. Based on our conceptual analyses and the resulting insights, which also include privacy, ethical, and cultural considerations, we discuss future research opportunities where we also refer to design implications for EPM systems.

Remote workers' experiences with electronic monitoring during Covid-19: implications and recommendations

“…Indeed, the "employees' feeling of trust increases with the level of control over decisions at work and decreases relative to the level of monitoring at work" (Bernstrøm and Svare, 2017, p. 43). Such positive effects can be fostered if employees are able to voice their concerns, participate in the design of the tool and the setting of standards as well as the identification of appreciation and recognition means and appropriate tool training (Laird et al, 2018;Kalischko and Riedl, 2021;Martin et al, 2016). As a result, employee reactions to electronic monitoring are often influenced by the motives behind the implementation of the monitoring systems, the use of these systems and the extent to which employee needs are met and their voices heard (by the organizations and managers who are directly responsible for systems implementation).…”

“…This motive has also sparked more interest in how future monitoring systems should be designed in recognition of the ethical, cultural and privacy concerns (e.g. Kalischko and Riedl, 2021; Sherif et al. , 2021).…”

“…Such positive effects can be fostered if employees are able to voice their concerns, participate in the design of the tool and the setting of standards as well as the identification of appreciation and recognition means and appropriate tool training (Laird et al. , 2018; Kalischko and Riedl, 2021; Martin et al. , 2016).…”

“…When employers decide to implement monitoring, due consideration should be given to best practice that promotes performance (Tomczak et al. , 2018; Kalischko and Riedl, 2021) to avoid the “pandemic panopticon” becoming the new normal for remote workers (Aloisi and De Stefano, 2021). Many employers recognize the importance of good work organization, flexibility, autonomy, employee empowerment and control over work for better employee health (Dragano and Lunau, 2020).…”

The Relationship Between Business Environment and Single Champion Enterprise Entrepreneurship

“…A high innovation environment can facilitate enterprise competition, expand the innovative ecological environment, and promote benign growth of enterprises. The rise of digital and interconnected technology within the workplace, including programs that facilitate monitoring and surveillance of employees, is unstoppable ( Kalischko and Riedl, 2021 ).…”