Algorithmic control and bossware: Employee resistance and evolution of workarounds in a traditional work context
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66450/sim.v30i4.03Keywords:
algorithmic control, workarounds, employee resistance, employee monitoringAbstract
Algorithmic control (AC) has diffused widely in traditional organisations since the COVID-19 pandemic, yet how employees perceive and respond to AC in traditional work contexts (TWC) remains underexamined. Drawing on the theory of workarounds and the 6R framework, we conduct a netnographic, text-mining analysis of 14,740 Reddit comments. We show that control in TWC is hybrid, blending managerial oversight with AC and producing power dynamics distinct from platform work. We extend the theory of workarounds by validating the three-stage process of Alter’s theory of workarounds and identifying ethical neutralisation as an important proximal step linking perceived control purpose to behavioural responses. We further emphasize how procedural and legal framing influences these responses. This study also highlights how individual workarounds transform into collective resistance through codification and online diffusion, thereby prompting organisational and managerial responses.
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