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Workplaces that intensively monitor performance increase the likelihood of their employees de-prioritising valuable discretionary work, an Australian researcher warns.

When employees are subjected to intensive performance metrics, and have these metrics frequently presented to them, they can end up shying away from performing work that they aren't being judged on, University of Queensland Professor Martin Edwards tells HR Daily.

In a recent study of 283 employees across 23 industries, Edwards and his colleagues found that this is an "unintended consequence" of performance measurement, whereby employees "rationally" de-prioritise tasks when they're unsure whether their effort will be recognised, valued or rewarded.

The data was collected in the UK, but the researchers say it's also relevant in Australia, where there are fewer regulations around employee performance monitoring...