A review and reappraisal of electronic performance monitoring, performance standards and stress allowances

There is a growing trend toward electronic performance monitoring (EPM) to track the performance of workers engaged in computer-based tasks. Despite the possible productivity advantages of this approach to work management, the use of EPM may produce stress through work overload, negative computer feedback, loss of incentive pay and threat of job loss. These stress effects are most likely to occur among workers who have difficulty meeting work standards (eg, forms processed per hour) enforced through EPM. A stress allowance is proposed as a new category of work allowance for adjusting EPM work standards so as to minimize imbalances between task demands and the worker's resources to adapt.