Worker Voice and Mutual Gains From Remote Performance Management: Evidence From Digitalized Services in North America and Germany

ABSTRACT The expansion of remote working arrangements has required managers to adjust their approach to managing performance, as they transition from in‐person to technology‐mediated tools and practices. Past research has identified negative worker impacts associated with intensified digital monitoring and discipline‐based coaching. However, few studies have investigated the antecedents of more worker‐friendly arrangements. This paper examines the role of collective worker voice in shaping remote work performance management choices, based on a comparative study of telecommunications call centers in Canada, the United States, and Germany. Findings suggest that strong collective voice, especially when backed by institutional power, fosters a balanced approach to remote performance management by constraining the intensity of electronic performance monitoring and use of disciplinary practices, as well as by supporting more developmental coaching.