Ethical human resource management in the context of globalization: digital transformation and the limits of monitoring

Abstract

This article is devoted to the study of ethical aspects of implementing digital employee monitoring systems within contemporary organizational structures in the context of globalization and the widespread transition to remote forms of work. The paper analyzes the transformation of approaches to labor control, where traditional supervisory methods are being replaced by continuous electronic performance monitoring, algorithmic management, and artificial intelligence–based analytics. The object of the study is the processes of digital employee control, while the subject focuses on ethical risks and the possibilities for harmonizing the interests of employers and employees. The author provides a detailed examination of key challenges arising from excessive digital surveillance, including violations of privacy in the home environment, reduced employee autonomy, the emergence of algorithmic bias, and the growth of technostress, which leads to professional burnout and the simulation of productivity. The article proposes the concept of the Adaptive Ethical Gateway, which introduces a dynamic approach to control based on the level of trust and employee performance. This concept incorporates mechanisms of contextual privacy filtering and the right to short-term digital autonomy, enabling the transformation of monitoring from a repressive tool into an instrument of support and professional development. The study demonstrates that the effectiveness of modern human resource management is determined not only by the technological capabilities of monitoring systems but also by the level of their ethical compliance and transparency. The conclusions and recommendations emphasize the need to transition to partnership-based models of interaction, where data minimization and employee involvement in shaping monitoring policies become the foundation for the sustainable development of human capital in the digital era. The results of the study may be used by HR managers and organizational leaders to improve remote team management systems and strengthen corporate culture.