The perceptions of employees regarding electronic surveillance in the workplace were studied using a mixed method approach. The change that permeates society and organisations have not escaped public FET institutions in South Africa. These changes such as computerisation of work and the employment of electronic surveillance, have implications for management, control, privacy, productivity and trust in the workplace. Yet, public FET institutions are not performing to the expected standards. Surveillance of work and employees at these institutions are interventions of management to ensure organisational goals are achieved. Despite the prevalence of electronic surveillance in the workplace, employee perceptions and their lived experiences thereof are seldom reported. Published research barely focuses on employees’ perceptions of electronic surveillance in the workplace, and instead offers a perfunctory look at the perceptual dimensions. Employees’ perceptions reflects their lived experiences in the workplace and yield a foundational understanding of workplace dynamics and organisational behaviour. The perceptions of employees regarding electronic surveillance were viewed through the lens of quantitative and qualitative analysis to give statistical and thick descriptions respectively to augment better understanding. The study therefore provides a descriptive account of employees’ perceptions of electronic surveillance and its effects. Specifically the study examined employee perceptions of electronic surveillance as a control measure of management, as an intrusion of employee privacy and impacting on the trust relationship and productivity. An extensive review of the literature provided the basis for the research questions and eight hypotheses were proposed. A survey, by means of an electronic questionnaire, was conducted to test the hypotheses using a random sample of employees at three public FET institutions in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The results are presented followed by a discussion, conclusions and limitations. Suggestions and recommendations for future research are also indicated. The central thesis of the study is presented, namely that electronic surveillance is experienced as a measure of management to control workers and that privacy as well trust, as an element of the employment relationship, are influenced by it. Further findings indicated that there are no statistically significant differences in the responses of the three job categories namely lecturers, managers and administration and support staff. Interviews were also conducted and the data from the interviews reported the depth and breadth of the perceptions of a small sample of employees who related their experiences and situations in terms of the key themes of electronic surveillance as control and an intrusion of their right to privacy, trust and productivity. The findings indicate that acceptance of electronic surveillance is contingent upon contextual factors and the meaning people assign to their situations. Privacy concerns were limited to personal information, fairness and dignity. The link between electronic surveillance and control and discipline is reported in the responses. The findings indicate that perceptions of electronic surveillance as managerial control is related to the lived experiences of employees. Employees voiced positive perceptions of electronic surveillance in cases where management clearly communicates the purpose to the employees. The study of the subjective experiences of employees in workplaces under electronic surveillance thus helped to illuminate the intricacies of employment relationships in the changing world of work. The study findings widen the knowledge base on organisational behaviour and is essential for human resources management and organisational development interventions. Human rights and ethics are part of the sense making process when employees construct social reality. Management and control is redefined in various terms and has implications for change management strategies and organisational development practises in globalising and network society. The study raises the critical question whether electronic surveillance as an adjunct for bureaucratic control is still relevant in a changing world of work where good faith, trust and confidence are still highly valued. The insights into the role of trust in the employment relationship is important for managing public institutions in complex settings. Management must be aware of the differences in the lived experiences of employees when dealing with workplace issues.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:nmmu/vital:16154 |
| Date | January 2014 |
| Creators | Jonas, Randolph Patrick |
| Publisher | Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Faculty of Arts |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis, Doctoral, DPhil |
| Format | xvi, 234 leaves, pdf |
| Rights | Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University |
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