My boss is monitoring staff via CCTV. Is this legal?

lincroft1710

Takeaway_Addict wrote: »

A very vague post, no single boss will ever know what each employee is doing 100% of the time. That is where an element of trust comes into it.

He should know what they're supposed to be doing. And regularly checking means you get to know who you can trust, there were definitely those who if given an inch would take a mile.

RobertoMoir

lincroft1710 wrote: »

I don't recall referring to any "motivational tactic" in my post, just that a boss should know what his staff are doing. He pays them to do a job, he needs to ensure they are doing that job.

No you didn't use that term, I did. We're referring to the same thing though - constant monitoring of staff in this way is designed to motivate them by fear: "I better not stop for a moment, the boss might be watching me".

The point is that there are ways and means of ensuring that people do their jobs that don't involve watching people by CCTV or remote observation of their computer screens. I would suggest that these alternative methods are better, because they don't demean the watcher or the watched in the way that constant CCTV surveillance does.

If the motive for surveillance is improved security rather than to watch people working, then this doesn't require someone to monitor a live feed all the time. At this point, I might ask if there's a way to appeal to the sense of intrinsic motivation that the staff might have, and allow the boss to do something more worthwhile with their own time.

paulineb_2

The OP asked if it were legal, not if the boss should be doing what hes doing.

fedster

In a Warehouse i used to work at, it has been known for Senior Managers to watch live CCTV from their Home address of the late shift, things like shift manager saying stop talking you are being watched on Camera, at 8pm, when all the CCTV Operators have gone home, really gives the game away!

DigForVictory

If CCTV monitoring is in the contract, odds on it's legal.

Doesn't make it pleasant, but accusations of illegality will likely require proof of malicious intent. Let the directors deal with him.

hcb42

I think I would also be looking for a new job, where the employer - employee respect was on a bit more of a level playing field

Tiddlywinks

hcb42 wrote: »

I think I would also be looking for a new job, where the employer - employee respect was on a bit more of a level playing field

Oh for goodness sake...

They are at work so shouldn't be doing anything they don't want anyone else to see... Whether in person or via video.

I really cannot see a problem.

To suggest someone in a secure job leaves because of this is reckless to say the least.

RobertoMoir

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

Oh for goodness sake...

They are at work so shouldn't be doing anything they don't want anyone else to see... Whether in person or via video.

I really cannot see a problem.

I'd suggest the problem is that being watched via CCTV in this way makes people feel uncomfortable regardless of whether or not they are doing their job.

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

To suggest someone in a secure job leaves because of this is reckless to say the least.

Oh for goodness sake...
Nice strawman you've got there. Make it yourself? To suggest that someone should stay in a job that's making them unhappy instead of searching for a new job (which is what the person you replied to suggested rather than just 'leaving') is also reckless to say the least.

mustang121

Since when did Directors and managers have the time to constantly watch staff? Whose doing their job whilst they are slacking off by "supervising" staff?


The idea of being watched is laughable and a pointless exercise. If I were slacking off then it would become obvious by the amount of work piling up.


Trust - One of the hardest things to gain, but the easiest to lose.

DKLS

lincroft1710 wrote: »

I don't recall referring to any "motivational tactic" in my post, just that a boss should know what his staff are doing. He pays them to do a job, he needs to ensure they are doing that job.

I can trust my staff to do their jobs without resorting to viewing cctv footage, but then again I treat my staff like adults.


I set them tasks and agree with them when they can be completed by and they send me a simple report every Friday which lists what they have achieved that week and what they plan on doing the next.


I have only reviewed cctv footage once and that was to identify a member of staff who had sticky fingers.