Workplace Surveillance and Managing Privacy Boundaries

Abstract

According to communication privacy management (CPM) theory, people manage the boundaries around information that they seek to keep private. How does this theory apply when employees are monitored electronically? Using data from 154 face-to-face interviews with employees from a range of organizations, the authors identified various ways organizations, employees, and coworkers describe electronic surveillance and the privacy expectations, boundaries, and turbulence that arise. Privacy boundaries are established during new-employee orientation when surveillance is described as coercive control, as benefiting the company, and/or as benefiting employees. Correlations exist between the surveillance-related socialization messages interviewees remember receiving and their attitudes. Although little boundary turbulence appeared, employees articulated boundaries that companies should not cross. The authors conclude that CPM theory suppositions need modification to fit the conditions of electronic surveillance.

Friend or not to friend: Coworker Facebook friend requests as an application of communication privacy management theory

“…A co-worker's attempt to be a part of a colleague's Facebook collective boundary might cause a form of turbulence for the working professional if the request is seen as privacy invasion or a surveillance attempt (Agre, 1994;Allen et al, 2007;Petronio, 1994). Facebook users can avert breakdowns in the management of their private information through adapting their privacy rules in light of evolving concerns .…”

“…For example, IBM provides employees laptops and adopts policies supportive of utilizing instant messenger technology for greater colleague interactions and information sharing practices (DiMicco et al, 2008). Other organizations engage in heavy surveillance of technology use by organizational members and deter co-worker communication and interaction through technology among its members (Allen et al, 2007;Stanton & Stam, 2003). CPM theory suggests that an organization's values socialized among members about open co-worker communication may influence the degree to which individuals think, feel and act toward coworker social media connections.…”

“…The extension of such requests can be seen as a threat when perceived as an organizational surveillance or privacy invasion attempt (Agre, 1994;Allen, Walker, Coopman, & Hart, 2007;Petronio, 1994). Furthermore, social media disclosures can be harmful for coworkers when posted information goes beyond the intended boundaries, is taken out of context, or poorly reflects on individuals or organizations (Balderrama, 2009;Fletcher, 2010;Greyson, Kind, & Chretien, 2010;Needleman, 2010;Stone, 2009).…”

“…Because working professionals may experience a range of both benefits (Skeels & Grudin, 2009;Smith & Kidder, 2010) and drawbacks (Agre, 1994;Allen et al, 2007;Petronio, 1994) when choosing to interact with coworkers through Facebook, the first research questions explores how working professionals decide to handle coworker Facebook friend requests: RQ 1 : How will working professionals handle co-worker Facebook friend requests (i.e., will they tend to accept, reject, or take no action as a response to the requests)?…”

Online Support for Shop-Floor Operators Using Body Movements Tracking

“…According to Allen et al [2007], Sewell and Barker [2006], Petronio [2002], surveillance is more accepted in the USA than in Germany and Great Britain for instance. One can also wonder if resistance to new IT technologies and surveillance is mainly due to resistance to new technologies or to lack of trust in their hierarchy.…”