Employers’ Muted Interest in Electronic Performance Monitoring (EPM)

Abstract

AbstractAgainst the backdrop of the increasing availability and accessibility of data in firms and organisations (Christl 2021; Eurofound 2020), we investigate supervisors’ interest in using electronic performance monitoring (EPM) systems to monitor their employees at work. While previous research has predominately focused on employees’ reactions to EPM (e.g., Allen et al. 2007; Chen and Ross 2005; Gangwar et al. 2014; Mitrou and Karyda 2006; Ravid et al. 2020; Stanton 2000a, 2000b), this study looks at the employer’s calculations of costs and benefits before implementing surveillance technologies. Emanating from principal-agent theory, employers (principals) seek information about employees’ work efforts.