Context Sensitive Technologies and Electronic Employee Monitoring: a Meta-Analytic Review

Digitized, interconnected work environments become increasingly popular. It is assumed that these system support employees in their daily routine and reduce mental demand and stress at work. However, context-aware systems entail the potential for comprehensive electronic workplace monitoring. This contribution reviews the influence of electronic monitoring on outcome variables, such as performance, psychological stress and strain, work motivation, satisfaction and behavior. 85 studies have been identified and prepared both qualitatively and meta-analytically. There were heterogeneous findings for employee performance. Mild adverse effects of monitoring on perceived stress, mental demand, job motivation and satisfaction, as well as organizational trust and perceived control could be found. Significant design recommendations were made in order to increase acceptance and avoid adverse monitoring effects. Most of the studies were based on cross-sectional correlative or quasi-experimental survey designs. As a result, ascertained design knowledge requires more longitudinal studies and systematic interventions of electronic monitoring in the field.