Research on the Double-edged Sword Effect of Electronic Performance Monitoring in Workplace

Abstract

In the digital era, in order to improve organizational performance and achieve high-quality development, more and more modern enterprises begin to use electronic performance monitoring, and the accompanying work pressure directly affects employees' role behavior. However, the existing research on electronic performance monitoring is still in the stage of its concept definition, theoretical basis and influencing factors, especially the research on the influence mechanism of electronic performance monitoring on employee role behavior is very scarce. Based on the work resource-requirement model and stress cognitive evaluation theory, this paper discusses the double-edged sword effect of two dimensions of electronic performance monitoring on employees' role behavior, and analyzes the mediating role of work stress perception and the regulating role of monitoring transparency. Through a questionnaire survey of 330 employees, a total of 308 valid questionnaires were collected. The empirical results show that: (1) Developmental electronic performance monitoring has a significant positive impact on employees' role behavior; (2) Preventive electronic performance monitoring has a significant positive impact on employees' in-role behavior and a significant negative impact on employees' out-of-role behavior. (3) Challenging pressure plays an intermediary role between developmental electronic performance monitoring and employees' in-role behavior. (4) Obstructive stress plays an intermediary role between preventive electronic performance monitoring and employee role behavior; (5) Monitoring transparency positively regulates the relationship between developmental electronic performance monitoring and challenging pressure; (6) Monitoring transparency negatively regulates the relationship between preventive electronic performance monitoring and obstructive stress. The research results verify the double-edged sword effect of electronic performance monitoring on employees' role behavior.