Camera Surveillance: The Effect of Policy Characteristics on Perceived Fairness and Organizational Commitment

The use of camera surveillance in the workplace is increasing. Many corporations have found that cameras are an appropriate tool for reducing employee theft and monitoring employee performance. However, little research has been done on camera surveillance to determine its effects on perceptions of fairness and organizational commitment. Prior research in both electronic performance monitoring and drug testing has shown that measures of fairness and commitment are affected by the purpose of the policy, degree of control allowed to workers, and the severity of outcomes resulting from such policies. The current study examined the effects of purpose (theft reduction versus cheating), type of surveillance (overt versus covert), and consequences of detection (probation versus dismissal) on perceptions of fairness and organizational commitment. Results indicated that participants rated camera surveillance policies intended to reduce theft as more fair than those intended to reduce cheating. Overt policies were perceived as more fair than covert policies. No significant effect of consequence was obtained. Results of a two-stage regression analysis indicated that perceived fairness mediated the relationship between purpose and type of surveillance and organizational commitment. Implications for the development and implementation of camera surveillance policies are discussed.