Enhanced job satisfaction under tighter technological control: the paradoxical outcomes of digitalisation

Via a multiple case study of work in microfinance institutions (MFIs) in India, this paper reports on the experiences of field officers and branch managers following work digitalisation. It identifies and explains an intriguing post-digitalisation paradox of reported increased job satisfaction and tighter technological control diminishing branch managers’ work-life balance. The paradox draws attention to the significance of context in workers’ experiences of mobile digital technologies (MDTs) and contradicts previous studies on workers’ positive experiences of adopting MDTs: the workers in this study did not experience greater autonomy or flexibility but reported enhanced employment security and status. The paper also adds to literature on employment relations following work digitalisation by revealing powerful enforcement of technological control, with ‘WhatsApp’ identified as a key managerial tool used for surveillance and discipline, and worker resistance at the margins.