Between Autonomy and Surveillance – Employee-oriented use of people analytics in onsite and remote work

In the research project “Between Autonomy and Surveillance (ZAUber)”, we are researching how people and organisations use so-called people analytics software. These enable the automated analysis of personnel data, combine it with business and/or external data and promise to optimise decisions about employees, for example in personnel planning or development. The project is funded by the Hans Böckler Foundation as part of the Digitale Transformation Research Network and is carried out in close cooperation with the FZI Research Centre for Information Technology.

Background of the project

The use of people analytics software has the potential to fundamentally change the world of work. Due to the increase in remote work in the wake of the COVID 19 pandemic, such people analytics tools are gaining momentum by promising employers possibilities of supervision despite physical distance. Advocates of people analytics software hope to increase employee autonomy through e.g. personalised support for self-organisation. However, due to the comprehensive analysis of usage data, many users perceive predictive people analytics tools in the context of employee monitoring, surveillance, and control of performance and behaviour in the workplace.

Research questions

People analytics approaches place high demands on the stakeholders involved, such as management, employees and their representatives, as well as the technical and legal side. Organisations need to match technical requirements and capabilities with stakeholder needs and legal frameworks. The granular functionalities of people analytics platforms provide flexibility, but also create complexities. Our research project focuses on the challenges and design options for corporate actors that emerge in the area of tension between autonomy and employee surveillance. More specifically, we are answering the following two research questions:

How – if at all – does the perception of the use of people analytics differ among those employees affected by the evaluations in the use cases of remote and onsite work?

Which technical, individual and organisational conditions promote or inhibit a use of people analytics that is oriented towards the well-being and self-determination of employees?

Methodological approach

To answer the research questions, we draw on a multi-method approach that includes both qualitative and quantitative studies. A structured literature review, market survey and qualitative stakeholder interviews form the basis of the project. Based on these findings, we conduct in-depth qualitative case studies on the use of people analytics tools in German organisations. In addition, a theory-based quantitative survey and an experimental study provide insights into the perception of privacy intrusions and trust-building features of the systems. Workshops at the beginning and end of the project support the as-is analysis and the transfer of our findings into practice.

Media & Links

• re:publica: Every Break You Take, Every Click You Make video contribution by Sonja Köhne and Miriam Klöpper

• Myth: AI can accurately predict and optimize human behavior by Sonja Köhne and Miriam Klöpper

• Research issue in focus: Digital organising and the future of work

Duration: 01.04.22 – 30.09.2024

Sponsor: Hans Böckler Foundation