security cameras

vic · February 2004

I'm HR Mgr for mfg company with 200 employees - about 50 in the offices. The president of the company wants to put security cameras around the office. Do we have to inform all employees of this? Is there anywhere we can't put cameras? I know the restrooms and breakroom is off limits but are they any other areas.

Pork · February 2004

VIC: I believe, if you ever intend to use the video revalations recorded on tape, then all should know that the work areas are in place and recording at all times. If the purpose of security camera capability is for the catching employees doing something wrong or documenting individual behaviors, like spending an axcessive amount of time at the water cooler, the cafeteria, or storage areas for love activities, or whatever,then I would feel that your purpose is wrong and misguided toward getting good employee performance. I for one would resign if that is how the company feels toward the work force. Performance is a management and leadership issue and video cameras should have little to do with leading people.

Security of company information and property and our work force should be the reason for putting in cameras. Everone should be made aware in order feel more comfortable about their personal safety. We have security cameras on site and we have caught some personal behaviors on the camera
record on which we discovered "drinking on company property during work hours and after work hours". This violation of company policy pertaining to the carrying of alcohol beverages onto and consumption of same on company property was documented by chance. We then knew we had a violation on-going as well as the abuse of company time because individuals were not clocking out and then drinking. They were drinking on our property in the parking lot and then clocking out inorder to gain O/T hours without work. We let the production manager develop his plan of action to have 1st hand knowledge of these events and to then take the necessary actions to stop both activities. He set up a sting operation and sprong the trap and caught them in the act of violating. He then took video and still camera action of this "after hours drinking party" and with the complex manager as a witness, he executed his plan and documented everything with witness and photgraphs and video cameras. He terminated one supervisor and three labor ees. We never heard another thing from the X-ees. The supervisor went through a rehab program and we have re-hired him. Alcohol consumption from his beer cooler in his station wagon has not happened again. The cooler has been checked several times and there has not been another vilation.

All to say yes you can put in security cameras, seek legal guidance with a clear statement of purpose, which will tell you who you must tell based on state law.

PORK

deniseE · February 2004

We also have a number of camera throughout our buildings and the employees were advised of the installation. As Pork mentioned, you will catch some amazing ee behavior on tape; however, this is a sideline to the real purpose of the camera. Hopefully you are seeking to protect company assets...not "spy" on ee's.

You may wish to draft a policy detailing how long tapes will be stored and under what conditions an ee may request copies.

Shadowfax · February 2004

I think you can put cameras any place 'except' where emp/ees have a reasonable expectation of privacy, and tell them or not, whichever is in the emp/ers best interests. Unlike Pork, I have used them with great effect preciselyto document suspected employee misconduct, and make no apology for it. I disaagree Pork, with your assessment of misguided mgmt purpose and emp/ee's right to have mgmt feel a specific way about emp/ees. Performance is indeed a management concern, and if it helps to maintain, document, correct, or whatever, performance, then mgmt should not feel defensive about using it. If anyone told me they were offended that I didn't trust them enough to rely on other means of vigilance they'd quit, I'd hold the door for them. Do you draw the line at not shopping in stores where they have 'security ' cameras? Are those cameras for security (write that 'safety') or to discern wrongdoing? Isn't that kind of vigilance good for consumers, cut down on pilferage which we all pay for one way or another? I see you were not averse to using performance behavior issues which inadvertantly showed up on the security cameras - what difference does it make why thje cameras were there? If you say its for security but use it for performance when it shows up, what's the dif? Does the emp/ee really feel more 'comfortable'? I just don't appreciate your argument. I got 'photoed' theother day on a red light violation. Don't remember doing it, and according to the photo, not another car in sight. Security? Safety? But the photo doesn't lie - there is my car going through the red - and it's something I rail about when I see other drivers do it. I'll pay, and pay more attention. I thin k cameras have a tendency to keep all of us a bit more honest, safe, and even occasionally, relieve someone of liability they might otherwise not be able to prove effectively. If mgmt thinks cameras are a useful tool - for mgmts purposes - I say smoke em if ya got em!

Pork · February 2004

We were prepared to use direct and witness evidence and did not have a need to reveal our indicators of bad behavior of the employees. It is precisely the legal issues with privacy, reasonable expectations, and legal representation when the situation gets beyond what management can do for their on purposes. I DON'T LIKE AND NEVER WILL LIKE FOR MANAGEMENT TO HAVE THE EMPLOYEES IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR HELD TO SUCH A LOW ESTEEM THAT THEY FEEL IT NECESSARY TO APPLY CAMERAS TO RECORD PERFORMANCE. THAT IS WHY WE HAVE SUPERVISORS AND MANAGERS FOR THOSE OF US WHO CARE DEEPLY FOR THE MAJORITY OF OUR EMPLOYEES.

Hope you never have to defend your company on the need to police the herd with "big Daddy's eye"!

Your's is a cop out for quality of life for the employee!

PORK

Brad Forrister · February 2004

If you're unionized, surveillance cameras are a mandatory subject of collective bargaining. If not, the only limits are the "expectation of privacy" ones.

Brad Forrister
Director of Publishing
M. Lee Smith Publishers

mwild31 · February 2004

one other thing to add - in Washington State - you can have camera's, but you can't record voice - it's a matter of law - without the consent of the parties involved. Check it out with your state - do a google search & see what you come up with.

vic · February 2004

I don't like the idea of the cameras either. Even if someone isn't doing anything, it makes employees feel like they aren't trusted. The only time we've have anything major missing was a camera that a salesperson left on his desk. But with the record of this salesperson always misplacing things, we all figured he just left it somewhere and didn't want to admit it. Of course, upper management will probably make the decision to do it anyway no matter what I say about it. Sometime the HR department's opinion just doesn't matter around here.

Balloonman · February 2004

Hey PORK,
Just wondering does your employer monitor computer usage? Is that really any different?

My $0.02 worth.
DJ The Balloonman

Pork · February 2004

BALLOONMAN: Yes, I get called for my excessive use of the forum connection from our computer whiz in Noth Carolina. Additionally, we monitor telephone usage. Any call over 5 minutes in length must be noted and the extension participate must be able to explain the excessive length and business purposes. I have a spreadsheet on all calls which lets me compare the actual reduction or increase in the number of telephone calls handled both incoming and outgoing. Our computer monitoring system also gives us the amount of time and what part of the working day was the communication activity accomplished. All of our employees know that we are on a cost containment program with in our company; therefore, we in the HR department are doing our part to control company cost. We have proudly reduced our calls in both number and time on the telephone by 20%. This then allows for the mind and fingers to be doing physical and mental work, which is totally business related. My reports are happy to be doing their part. Calls over 5 minutes is our standard, and we are all trying to stay under the limit. We are monitoring on a weekly basis and soon I will be able to show the General Manager and Owner the progrss we have made.

Glad you asked and now I must get back to company work before the "computer whiz" in North Carolina sticks the "poker/hot stick" to me!

PORK

Balloonman · February 2004

I asked the question as having cameras really is no different. Fact is, noone is going to routinely sit down and review the tapes.......not possible from a logistics standpoint. However if you have an issue.........you could review the tapes to check on an employee........ that is life.
Small company here, little monitoring......so I can stay on here all I like! :-)
Video cameras will extract an emotional reaction to a perceived privacy violation. Fact is there is no expectation of privacy in the workplace except in the bathroom.
My $0.02 worth.
DJ The Balloonman

Pork · February 2004

"VIDEO CAMERAS WILL EXTRACT AN EMOTIONAL REACTION TO A PRECEIVED PRIVACY VIOLATION" is precisely our point of having a business purpose for any and all monitoring. At first, my reports were concerned for "why are we being discriminated against, when others in the same work site are allowed to continue on with their personal calls and wasted time on social activities and needs?"

My response was: that all of the managers at my level were given the same tasking for cost controls, including the telephone and proper use of company time. We have no other cost control that is within our controls, therefore, I selected this for one of our department goals for cost reduction. Everyone now understands and we are tackling as best we can.

Everyone have a Blessed day.

PORK

shlshsm · February 2004

I am a Catholic fundraiser/manufacturer. Aside from HR responsibilities, among other things, I am in charge of security.

We receive monetary funds via US Mail and we're located 20 minutes from 10 casinos often filled with desperate people. Before the new highway that is now located far behind us, when the traffic to the casinos passed directly in front of the building, problems occurred in our little growning town. The gas station was robbed almost every other week, the bank was robbed two times in three weeks, and three times in two months, the post office was robbed, and with a daily visit to our facility by a Loomis Wells Fargo armored truck, it was just a matter of time before we became the next target.

Before we installed electric automatic gates fencing in the facility, we would find folks parked in our parking lots sleep because they were not able to make it back to town after being out all night or half drunk. We had a car stolen off the property and replaced with one filled with broken glass and spent gunshot shells.

I reconfigured the Reception area to pull the receptionist behind electric secured doors with bullet proof glass. In our mail room where funds are extracted, there are 4 cameras, plus a panning camera behind a bubble. The mail room supervisor has a monitor on her desk so she can see in advance who is attempting to gain access as well as the sort room. The ladies were informed in advance before the cameras' installation and they seemed relieved to have proof that they could not be accused of stealing.

I have the place covered with cameras. Several times there were attempted burglaries, and the folks merely ran off camera. So now I have every entrance covered and signs posted outside warning that the place has surveillance equipment. I have cameras panning the outside parking lots, 3 cameras in the break area, cameras in Production, all time clocks covered, a camera outside my office so I know in advance who is approaching, and I have the managers' hallway covered.

No one in the building seems bothered by the cameras. In fact, ee's have forgotten that cameras even exist. You will be surprised what people will do when walking down the hall and they don't pay attention that someone is monitoring their behavior. There are 30 cameras in all, and everyone feels safe and secure. Sometimes I feel like I work at Fort Knox, but at the same time, workplace violence is non-existent, internal thefts have ceased like stolen lunches and office supplies, outside burglary attempts have ceased, and when I have had to use the video surveillance due to questionable behavior(s), everyone knows so no one is surprised.

For every camera, there is an experiential reason. Cameras have not been installed without a specific purpose or as a result of a real life experience. The cameras are for everyone's protection.

security cameras

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