I'm on candid camera (a long work vent)

[maxiesmom]

Today was my first day back at work after a week of vacation. And I am already not a happy camper. I am looking for some advice on how to handle what happened while I was gone.

Let me give you some background. I work retail for a large departement store chain. Our company is big on customer service, which means that I spend a lot of time on the phone or on the computer tracking down merchandise for customers. To that end in our stockroom we have a small work area, complete with phone, computer, a section to hold merchandise, and other assorted things. The department that I supervise gets the majority of phone calls, though other departments do come and use all of our stuff, which is fine with me.

The week before I went on vacation my direct supervisor came to me and said that our store manager had complained to her that he had seen too many people "socializing" in the stockroom. And four times that he could think of he had walked thru our stockroom and seen people standing around by the computer. My reply was "Duh!' Well, not really. But that is what I thought. I stated that it is a work area, and we have a lot of stuff that associates use on a daily basis. My boss told me that we just needed to watch it, that for some reason the store manager thought we were goofing off, and that it was his perception that mattered. I said fine, I would talk to my team, even though I was a bit ticked off. I know my people work hard, and it bothers me that if he thought any of us was slacking he wouldn't just address it at the time. Would it have been so hard to say "Hey, what are you guys doing? Get to work!"

Anyway after all of that happened I had a week off. And today on my first day back, what do I see? A security camera none to cleverly disguised, pointed right at our work area! My team told me it showed up this past Saturday, and someone had already climbed up to see if it was hooked up or just a fake (it is hooked up). So now not only are we being watched whenever we are in the stockroom, but we are being taped as well.

I guess I don't understand why such a big deal is being made out of this. Fine, you think we are messing around (but can't bother to ask what we are doing), but we were "talked to" about it. Why the need for a camera? Not to mention the idea of being watched creeps me out. And the thing is we are on camera all of the time when we are out on the selling floor, so I'm not sure why this bugs me so. It just seems to scream "I don't trust you or your team". And my whole team is livid!

What also irritates me is that a few months ago I kept finding empty packages in the stockroom, where it looked like someone was stealing merchandise. I asked for a camera at that time, and no one could bother putting one up! So aparently it is not as big a deal to steal as it is for it to look like you are goofing off.

I don't know what to do, or if I should do anything. I do know that angry associates do not a happy work place make. And I don't think it is too great for the whole customer service aspect either. I haven't said anything to my immediate boss, and I really don't think that would help anyway. It wasn't her idea, she loves me and my team! I guess I am just looking for advice and maybe someone ele to tell me what an idiot there boss is so I can feel better.

Thanks for listening.

 

[Tigger2252]

Is the camera perhaps in response to your request for a camera in the stockroom? Is the work area the same area where you suspected people were taking merchandise from?

 

[maxiesmom]

Is the camera perhaps in response to your request for a camera in the stockroom? Is the work area the same area where you suspected people were taking merchandise from?

I'm afraid not. It is aimed right at the work area, it doesn't pan or anything. Bam, right on us.

 

[Pomlover2586]

And that is just one of the MANY reasons why I will NEVER work in retail EVER again......

My family would have to be at the bottom of the barrel, starving, and about to be homeless before I would even contemplate a job like that again......

 

[DISNEY1975]

Is is a chain store? If so, I would not take it personally.

If cameras were to be installed in a backroom, it would most likely be chainwide. I have never heard of singling out one store for this. It would have to have been budgeted for this fiscal year, meaning planned for last year, requested by store operations and have approval from finance. There is no way a store manager would be able to hard wire a security camera in the store without approval from the home office..and usually store managers dont have contact with the home office, it would be the regional manager.

Many time there are cameras in the stockroom/receiving dock area, this is not unusual. The position of yours is a bit curious, but does it also look onto an exit or the merchandise?

If you know any other of the same stores in your area and are friendly with their backroom coordinators, maybe you could ask if they got one as well. If you are not comfortable speaking with your store manager, maybe talk to the district manager next time he/she is there.

If you know you are not doing anything wrong, I wouldnt sweat it. Just go on about your day as usual.

 

[Tigger2252]

I'm afraid not. It is aimed right at the work area, it doesn't pan or anything. Bam, right on us.

That's awful. I don't know if I could work effectively knowing I was being monitored the whole time. IMHO it sucks double that they put it up when you were gone, and didn't have the courtesy to tell you they planned to do it so you could talk to your staff.

 

[bumbershoot]

Well, since you wish the bosses had addressed their concerns when they walked by and saw people in a place that the bosses felt they shouldn't be...maybe you should talk to those bosses to address this concern directly? Teach them by example.

Maybe they just take a really long time to make things happen, and this is actually a response to the empty boxes? (I know, I doubt it too, but maybe!)

 

[kidzmom3]

it wouldn't bother me. I work in the Emergency Dept and we have cameras pointed at us at all times in the desk areas. Like you said, you are already on camera on the floors. this is really no different. If someone wants to take the time to watch your every move, more power to them. If your not doing anything wrong there should be no problem.

 

[Serena]

Where I work, we are all watched every minute. But in this case I would have a hard time not sticking my tongue out at the camera. It seems petty. Unfortunately it is totally within their rights. I would continue to do my job and show them what a waste of time and money this camera is.

 

[Poohbear123]

I work for a Grocery Store chain and have NO Problem being on Camera for 8 hours a day. I do nothing wrong on Camera...except maybe Dance a little but other than that, I am OK with it!

 

[dakcp2001]

I think you should all start picking your nose, and picking wedgies. Give them something to see.

 

[BelleWDW]

No big deal for me either. there are 4 cameras where I work-2 on the register areas-one in the showroom and one in the back outside.

The outside one has recorded folks doing grafitti on the building and one guy dropping a box of kittens at our back door -neither culprit was caught, however.

 

[lillygator]

I can see why you would be a bit ticked, especially having asked for it prior, but if none of the team members are doing anythign wrong I don't see the big deal.

 

[chell]

First of all I have to say that I can see why so many people are saying that they wouldn't have a problem with it. But I can see why you do have a problem with it. You asked for one when items were disappearing and the fact that the higher ups couldn't address things directly with the workers. It seems sneaky to me for them to put in a camera instead of directly addressing what they consider an "issue". Maybe the workers they saw "standing around" were actually standing around discussing a work related issue. As tight as funds are everywhere currently I would have to ask if that was really a good use of company funds. Hopefully your company isn't hurting as bad as most other companies are.

 

[java]

When I worked for a brokerage firm- our main office was in another state. A new sales manager was appointed. And then one night a Camera appeared staring at the trading floor- and the sales desk. He was spying on us! So promptly that night one of the traders climbed up and disconnected it. They came back and reconnected - that night yep disconnected again.

After 3 times- the "man" gave up. No camera. Or else they hid it better.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I was going to suggest that as long as it is only one camera that someone approach is such a way as they will not be in the camera's field of view and then put a lens cap or other cover on it and see what happens.

 

[Octoberbride03]

Is is a chain store? If so, I would not take it personally.

If cameras were to be installed in a backroom, it would most likely be chainwide. I have never heard of singling out one store for this. It would have to have been budgeted for this fiscal year, meaning planned for last year, requested by store operations and have approval from finance. There is no way a store manager would be able to hard wire a security camera in the store without approval from the home office..and usually store managers dont have contact with the home office, it would be the regional manager.

Many time there are cameras in the stockroom/receiving dock area, this is not unusual. The position of yours is a bit curious, but does it also look onto an exit or the merchandise?

If you know any other of the same stores in your area and are friendly with their backroom coordinators, maybe you could ask if they got one as well. If you are not comfortable speaking with your store manager, maybe talk to the district manager next time he/she is there.

If you know you are not doing anything wrong, I wouldnt sweat it. Just go on about your day as usual.

I work at Target and yeah the cameras are all over the place, but we're talking typical eye in the sky stuff. NO idiot in your face "HI I'm a nanny cam" setup. Bet ya it isn't going on the chain either. I think I'd want a chat with whoever came up with that idea

 

[maxiesmom]

I talked to my supervisor today. She had no idea about the camera, and said that she would be offeneded by it too. She was also going to have a chat with our security team and see what they had to say about it.

By the way, the camera is not hooked up to the same monitors as the other cameras. It is hooked up to a tv set up in one of the manager's offices.

 

[DISNEY1975]

I talked to my supervisor today. She had no idea about the camera, and said that she would be offeneded by it too. She was also going to have a chat with our security team and see what they had to say about it.

By the way, the camera is not hooked up to the same monitors as the other cameras. It is hooked up to a tv set up in one of the manager's offices.

Again, if this is a chain store (Walmart/TJMaxx/Macy's etc....) the manager could get in HUGE amounts of trouble, fired even, for going out on his/her own and doing something like that.

If its a privately owned store, they can make up their own rules, but chains can not.

 

[maxiesmom]

Yep, the company I work for has stores in almost every state.

I have to say that when I saw the view the camera has, I had to laugh. It has a set field of vision, and only sees a tiny bit of our stockroom. As if we wouldn't see the camera and then move a different spot if we wanted to stand around and talk. So not only do they think we are all slackers, they think we are stupid to boot.