The effects of being under watch: The impact of electronic monitoring on remote workers’ psychological safety

Abstract Electronic monitoring emerged as a common practice in the post pandemic telework. Whereas existing research has mainly focused on the effects of this work model on individual performance and well-being, it has overlooked how specific circumstances, such as new control dynamics, can influence employees’ behaviors. We cover this gap by investigating the relationship between electronic monitoring in telework – including its clarification by the organization and the access to data by employees – and psychological safety, which is associated with key performance behaviors such as learning, voice and knowledge-sharing. Quantitative data collected through an online survey with 382 hybrid and remote workers were analyzed. Results indicate no statistically significant differences in psychological safety levels between monitored and unmonitored groups. However, additional analyses suggest that how monitoring is implemented can be key to keeping psychological safety levels, resulting in actionable recommendations for managers and organizations to enhance telework implementation.