Algorithmic Management
Software systems that automatically collect worker data, score performance through algorithms, and feed results to managers or workers to guide decisions about scheduling, tasks, or evaluation.
A category of workplace software tools that automatically collect behavioral data from workers, process it through algorithmic scoring models, and present results to managers, HR systems, or employees to inform decisions about scheduling, task assignment, performance evaluation, or discipline. Common in warehouses, call centers, and gig work platforms.
What this means in real life
A delivery driver's app automatically tracks their route speed, delivery time per stop, and customer ratings, then flags them to a supervisor if metrics dip below a threshold—without a human manager reviewing the context.
What it isn’t
It is not simply having data or analytics in the workplace. Algorithmic management specifically means automated systems making or strongly influencing decisions about workers, not just collecting information for human review.
Commonly misused online
Often conflated with 'AI replacing workers' or 'surveillance.' Algorithmic management is about automating *decisions* about workers (scheduling, task assignment, discipline), not necessarily replacing them or spying—though it can enable both.