How Organizational Electronic Performance Monitoring Affects Employee Proactive Behaviors: The Psychological Reactance Perspective

Abstract

Nowadays, numerous enterprises are actively adopting electronic performance monitoring (EPM) systems with the goal of enhancing organizational performance by stimulating employee proactive behavior. However, some companies have reported that the EPM system didn't achieve the expected results and even led to the opposite. To address this paradoxical phenomenon, we employed psychological reactance theory to investigate the impacts of employee differentiate perceptions of EPM (developmental EPM [DEPM] and preventive EPM [PEPM]) on individual psychological and behavior reactance. By conducting a three-wave survey questionnaire among 446 corporate employees, we find that DEPM facilitates proactive behavior, while PEPM inhibits such behaviors; Second, psychological reactance mediates the relationships among DEPM, PEPM, and proactive behavior; Third, individual trait mindfulness positively (negatively) moderates the impact of DEPM (PEPM) on psychological reactance. This research elucidates the effects of EPM on proactive behavior, providing valuable information to support attempts to refine digitally driven monitoring models within organizations.

Keywords:

• Electronic performance monitoring
• preventive electronic performance monitoring
• psychological reactance theory
• trait mindfulness
• proactive behavior

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jun Wang

Jun Wang's research focuses on Human Resource Management, Organization Behavior & Digitalization.

Wenzhi Zheng

WenZhi Zheng's research focuses on Human Resource Management & Digitalization.

Lin Zhang

Lin Zhang's research focuses on Human Resource Management & Digitalization.

Yenchun Jim Wu

Yenchun Jim Wu has been recognized in the top 2% of the world's most influential scientists for career and single year impact from 2021-2023 by Stanford University. His research interests include supply chain management, technology management, and innovation and entrepreneurship.