AIBU to want to quit my job due to being watched on camera 24/7

[Candy999]

So where I work cameras were installed in all public areas. We were told this was so if anything was to happen the footage could be looked at to establish what has happened. I work with vulnerable adults so absolutely supported this as think having some kind of recordings of what’s going on is a great thing. Anyway fast forward a couple of months it’s becoming a thing where management are using the cameras to watch every little thing that is being done to the point where they are constantly sat in front of the camera scrutinising every little thing which is being done. I have nothing to hide but knowing I’m being watched 12 hours a day is getting too much. AIBU to feel uncomfortable knowing this is happening and it’s making me want to resign as I’m just so sick of the big brother style shift.

it’s becoming a thing where management are using the cameras to watch every little thing that is being done to the point where they are constantly sat in front of the camera scrutinising every little thing which is being done.

So they've changed the reason for the cameras and informed all affected parties ? Or they're another in a long list of outfits that think that data protection is really another way of saying "whatever we like" ? Union and/or CAB ??

Yanbu at all

That’s so weird because I read about this on the bbc website today

As long as you don't give that as a reason for moving on to any future prospective employer, YANBU.

However, as someone who works under cctv, I think the benefits have outweighed the negatives, as my not being able to stick two fingers up and poke my tongue out at my boss when they're having a bad day is nothing compared to being able to look back and find out what actually happened in the event of an incident.

Have management nothing better to do? What were they doing all day before the cameras were installed?
I used to work somewhere with CCTV coverage of every bit of office space, I had major concerns about intrusion but since I was in charge of security on site I could hand on heart guarantee that nobody was monitoring it at all, and it was purely there to be used retrospectively in case of any incidents that needed investigation. This was before GDPR regs so it might all have changed now anyway.

Like I said, I think cctv in this kind of work place is great for both staff and service users. It means If anything is reported then their is some kind of proof wether to prove it happened or prove it didn’t. It also gives service users families the confidence to know their is video recordings 24 hours a day. Their has been times where things have been recorded which without cctv no one would have known has happened. What I don’t agree with is management viewing this footage all throughout the day to keep tabs on employees and to know exactly what everyone is doing. Imagine spending your whole working week Monday to Friday with someone sat in a corner physically watching your every move and then following you about, then making a list of every single thing they disapprove of, which in the grand scheme of things is pointless and mindless things.

Yep my last place, big resort hotel. Customer complained I’d dropped his pizza. Took him a new one and apologised.

Busy as fuck evening service assistant manager disappeared for an hour and came back and said no you didn’t drop it but I watched you walk right the the resort holding the pizza inadequately.

Not saying I was right because I wasn’t and yes now we all know how much I fucked up holdiing a goddam pizza but the fact he went out of his way to leave us alone running around just to say ha ha you were wrong was just weird. Went home and never went back (there was more issue sthough with discrimination because I have bipolar) that was just the end of the line.

I would never work anywhere with constant surveillance again

YANBU I couldn't stand it.

YANBU

My old work place had cameras in every corner of the building and they had speakers too. I remember mentioning something personal to another colleague in the staff room and hasent realised a camera was nearby and next thing you know my manager (who wasn’t in the building and was known for staying home and watching the CCTV) mentioned what I had said in a ‘hypothetical’ situation. It wasn’t anything bad just personal I wanted to share with one person I trusted.

Another place I worked at for the day (freelance) had three cameras in the main section of the business. I remember arriving then speaking to the owner of the business on the phone who let me know what he wanted me to achieve in the day I would be working. We agreed what could be done and he mentioned he wouldn’t be in the business during the day but to call if I need any assistance. I thought it was odd but got on with my work. 10 mins in my phone buzzed and it was my work agency confirming a few bits for the current job I’m on and so I went to check my phone to email back quickly before continuing my work and the second I reached my phone the business phone rang and it’s the manager calling to tell me he is watching me on the camera and he pays me to work not chat on the phone !?!

As you can imagine I left shortly after.

I definitely agree that CCTV should be in workplaces to keep a log of any incidents that may happen within the business, however it is often abused now and I also hate that feeling of knowing I’m constantly being watched.

Not wanting to belittle your post OP, as I would also hate this.

BUT.. I have like a Nature Watch commentary running in my head...

'Dave is picking his nose again..'
' Fred is limping, needs to get that sorted'
'Lynn has brought cakes in and is giving the best one to Dave. Is this a courtship ritual?'
'Look, look viewers, Sandra and Derek are building a nest in the stationary cupboard...'

Your managers must be very bored to spend their time watching, maybe they need to be doing some actual work.

Imagine spending your whole working week Monday to Friday with someone sat in a corner physically watching your every move and then following you about, then making a list of every single thing they disapprove of, which in the grand scheme of things is pointless and mindless things.

Hold on, do you have proof they are making a list and how do they use that information?

If they're booking meetings with staff and running through the list of their actions: eg "Fred, at 11.04 am on Fri you went off for a toilet break and you didn't return until 11.40 am, why did it take you 36 minutes?" then it's something to raise with management (as a collective staff group), highlighting that use of the surveillance equipment was not according to the intention stated in the staff communication of xyz date.

If you are in a union, then get them involved, this is exactly the type of thing they should be there to protect you against.

In reply to daisy, yes this does happen as we will receive calls to the department regurlaly throughout the day to comment on things happening there and then which aren’t related to what was the camera purpose. Things will also be said in meetings such as ‘we can see from watching the cameras that ...’ I think theirs been a handful of incidents where the cameras have been used for their intention which is to look back at incidents and about a hundred times a month just to spy on what is happening

Yeah that’s not acceptable. I’d go to the union.

Candy, YANBU to be very concerned about this misuse of camera technology to spy on and target management message to staff. If your team feel strongly, and can get backing from your union to raise a concern (initially informally, but if minimised, then as a formal grievance) you will be giving a strong message that it isn't acceptable.

I see it as "lazy management" and abuse of power. If they have concerns about an individual's conduct, it should be handled specifically and fairly with the person, with opportunity for dialogue.