THE EFFECTS OF ELECTRONIC PERFORMANCE MONITORING ON STRESS - LOCUS OFCONTROL AS A MODERATOR VARIABLE

In recent years, there has been a substantial increase in the number o f companies using electronic performance monitoring (EPM) systems to e valuate their employees. Data from several case studies suggest that e mployees who are monitored using EPM experience more stress than emplo yees who are monitored by other means. However, it is difficult to dra w firm conclusions from this research, because organizations tend to i ntroduce other programs at the same time as EPM systems are installed. Additionally, little existing research examines the role that employe e characteristics play in determining EPM's impact. The current study represents an attempt to address these issues. Laboratory subjects wor ked on two relatively simple computerized tasks and were told either t hat their work would be monitored via a supervisory computer networked to their terminal, or that their work would not be observed All other work climate variables were held constant. After completing the tasks , subjects' locus of control and perceived stress were measured. Locus of control was found to moderate the relationship between EPM and str ess. Internals felt more stress when their work was electronically mon itored. In contrast, externals felt more stress when their work was no t monitored. These findings are interpreted using a person-environment fit framework. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd