The moderating effect of workplace surveillance on employee engagement and employee motivation. Evidence from a Zimbabwean parastatal

Abstract

AFRICA INSTITUTE Abstract: The study examines the moderating effect of workplace surveillance on employee engagement and employee motivation amongst a sample of employees at the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority. In a context of hyper-inflation, organisations need to find ways to survive. Needed are ways to reduce turnover and keep employees satisfied with their jobs. One organisational intervention theorised as assisting in this is workplace surveillance. Currently, there is no research which explores the moderating effect of workplace surveillance on employee engagement and employee motivation in developing countries. This study adopted the positivist research philosophy relying on a quantitative research approach using the survey technique. A total of 327 respondents filled in a selfadministered questionnaire using established measures for employee engagement, workplace surveillance and employee motivation. For the purpose of analysis, regression analysis was utilised. The findings of the study shows that employee engagement and workplace surveillance have a moderating effect on employee motivation. Further, it was found that employee engagement and workplace surveillance have a significant positive relationship with employee motivation with no interaction effects assumed. Implications for theory and practice based on the findings of this study are made