To not want to have my photo taken

[goaskmum]

So last week I was awarded employee of the month which I am grateful for and happy about as I have never got it before and I think it’s nice my bosses have clearly acknowledged the fact I’ve gone the extra mile recently.

Anyway, those who get employee of the month usually get their photos taken and it is stuck on the wall in staff room along with the person’s name, it is also posted on the social media pages too.

I lack self esteem and I’m quite self conscious and I generally hate getting my photo taken, I try to avoid it. One of the bosses asked me to get my photo taken and I said no I’d rather not and explained I don’t really enjoy getting photos done.

She said something like “oh that’s a shame, I thought you would have wanted your photo taken, suit yourself then.”

I overheard her and one of my colleagues talking about it in the staff room and she said “yeah, we won’t be giving her employee of the month again because she refused to get her photo taken, she’s very ungrateful” and the other woman said “yeah, that’s weird. It’s all about her.”

They didn’t know I had heard them.

Yeah I’m annoyed about what they were saying, but surely I’m not BU to not want my photo taken?

YABU - yeah you should have just got your photo taken

YANBU - if you didn’t want your photo taken then that’s your own personal choice

@Ionlydomassiveones

YANBU and how awful to hear them slagging you off over it. People are so used to plastering their pouting mugs on social media these days that they forget that some of us want to remain anonymous. What a shame that all your extra hard work was forgotten just because you have a mind of your own and you’ll ruin their corporate slavery award board.

Quite!

I hate having my photo taken and, like you, prefer to be anonymous. I was asked if I would have my photo taken to illustrate a piece about our team in the in-house magazine, and they seemed a bit put out when I declined. I've also refused to have my pic on the employer's website as well.

I'm very private, in many ways, plus I had an experience where an ex used to turn up at my workplace and ask to see me, and at public meetings he knew I would be attending as part of my job. That's really put me off having my details plastered on anything that's in the public domain.

I don't allow photos in pretty much any situation, but in a work thing I'd let it slide. 99% of work is doing stuff you wouldn't be doing unless someone was paying you for it

If it were me I’d be handing the voucher and flowers back saying I’d overheard them and, as I’m obviously ungrateful I totally understand that they’d rather reward someone else who would act more grateful. But then I’d also be telling them outright that surely, as it was me being rewarded for my work, it SHOULD be all about me!!

I worked for one company with 2 distinct bases (in different, but adjacent, counties) and they had an employee of the month scheme - well, according to the company website they did, but you’d not know it if you worked for one of the 2 bases as it was always staff at the other base who received the accolade. Didn’t bother me as I was there to do my job and go home at the end of the day but a lot of staff at our base were upset saying the felt their hard work was overlooked in favour of the other base (and ours was the base with head office in so it wasn’t even as if it was because management weren’t there to see staff going above & beyond!!

Another job where we were told we had to have photos on a board for all to see (general public using the service) I just avoided the person with the phone and said not today if they did appear with it.

You are not unreasonable to dislike your photo being taken. Many people share that view. Few people I know really enjoy it (with some notable exceptions). But surely if every EOTM has their picture displayed for that month, and you are the first not to, you are making yourself the focus of attention? Won’t people wonder why you refused? Doesn’t that make the self consciousness worse? If you are fine with that then all good, but honestly I’d have thought you would be able to prepare for one posed shot in a way that makes you feel, if not happy, then at least comfortable. Absolutely fine to say not to post any picture on SM. That’s different.