In September 2024, Fortune reported that PWC told its UK employees that from January they’ll be expected to be at their desks, or with clients, at least three days a week, and that their location would be tracked to ensure they complied.
However, PwC's decision may not achieve the desired results. Decision-makers in organisations making these types of workplace policies are often guided by an outdated view of management. It is an approach that is more rooted in how factories work than in how modern workplaces of ideas function. Under this view, many managers feel the need to oversee their employees’ work. This approach fails to recognise the realities of modern work, especially for creative professionals.
Read more: PwC set to ramp up employee monitoring
Today, work is not done during what used to be considered normal business hours. Creative work, or work with ideas, needs to be done in a flexible environment where professionals have as much autonomy as possible. Strict workplace policies can lead companies to prioritise outputs over meaningful outcomes, hindering creative work. When flexibility is removed, and heavy monitoring is introduced, organisations are likely setting themselves up for failure.
Research shows that organisations with flexible workplace policies tend to be more productive and have higher employee retention rates. Workers often resist tech-based monitoring when they perceive it as intrusive, according to 2019 research. Additionally, creative employees can find ways to bypass such monitoring, which diverts energy away from organisational goals and creates a culture which employees perceive to be like that of Orwell's 1984.
Read more: New guidance calls for fairer workplace monitoring
Instead of focusing on monitoring, managers should invest time in creating supportive work environments. The focus needs to be on supporting employees in doing good work rather than on how to watch them to ensure they are not shirking work. As noted, such a view of management is dated, going back to what the management theorist Douglas McGregor termed 'Theory X'.
Following this approach, managers view employees as lazy, lacking a desire to grow professionally and only motivated by economics and sanctions. Yes, some workers fit this description, but McGregor’s 'Theory Y' describes most professionals. According to this framework, employees are motivated by many factors, including the desire to succeed and serve the mission of their organisations. The central management question for these employees should be: how can organisations prioritise their employees’ wellbeing?
A few management policies and practices can help companies answer this question.
First, granting employees flexibility in their schedules can significantly enhance productivity and retention. A 2021 study confirmed the straightforward notion that when workers have control over their time, they perform better.
Second, companies empower employees to be successful by promoting workplace flexibility and wellbeing. Moving the focus away from monitoring employees toward empowering them shifts organisations from striving for outputs to achieving results.
Read more: Workplace monitoring on the rise
Third, organisations should promote work/life balance and address burnout. This can be achieved by creating policies guided by the 'demand control support' (DCS) model. Monitoring employee locations contradicts this model, as it limits their control, reduces support and increases demands. It signals a lack of trust, which can lower morale and breed cynicism among employees.
Lastly, happier workers are better-performing employees. Having geotags on employees most likely does not increase their happiness about their work. Providing flexibility, support and autonomy does.
Tech monitoring tends to reduce workers to mere cogs in a machine, disregarding their individual needs and the support they require to thrive. Moving forward, organisations should shift their focus from finding the latest monitoring technology to creating flexible workplaces that align with the DCS model. By doing so, they can foster a more engaged and productive workforce.
By William Hatcher, professor of public administration and chair of Social Sciences at Augusta University
