[The eye of technology and the well being of women and men in Icelandic work places].
BACKGROUND
The study assessed the association between working under surveillance and electronic performance monitoring and the well-being among women and men in six Icelandic workplaces.


METHODS
In the time period from February to April 2003, a questionnaire based on the General Nordic Questionnaire for Psychological and Social Factors at Work was delivered to 1369 employees in six companies where different methods of electronic performance monitoring (EPM) are used. The data was analyzed using odds ratio and logistical regression.


RESULTS
The response rate was 72%, with close to equal participation of men and women. The employees who were working under EPM were more likely to have poor psychosocial work-environment, to have experienced significant stress recently, to be mentally exhausted at the end of the workday, to have significant sleep difficulties and to be dissatisfied in their job.


CONCLUSIONS
The development of the information and communication technology that allows employers and managers to monitor and collect different electronic data about the work process and productivity of the workers makes it important to follow the health condition of those who work under electronic performance monitoring.
Rafnsdóttir
Guobjörg Linda
GL
Vinnueftirlittio, rannsóknaog heilbrigoisdeild, Islands. linda@ver.is
Tómasson
Kristinn
K
Guomundsdóttir
Margrét Lilja
ML
D000328:Adult; D004526:Efficiency; D004581:Electronics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007055:Iceland; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D013672:Technology; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology*