Big brother is watching: computer monitoring and communication

A study was conducted to examine employees´ reactions to computer monitoring. Associated issues that were examined included the employees´ level of stress, job satisfaction and commitment; their feelings of personal control; and their opinions regarding management´s use of information gathered through monitoring. Results of the study indicated that, contrary to many reports, computer monitoring can be positive when used correctly and accompanied with effective management communication. Employees´ levels of stress were negatively correlated with their feelings of job satisfaction, personal control, commitment to the organization, and the employees´ feelings about the appropriateness of the way in which their managers used the information gathered by monitoring. These results highlight the importance of the responsible use of monitoring, the significance of communication, and the value of recognizing and rewarding good performance