Is this Acceptable?

[argon]

Is this acceptable?

An employee of a sign company told me the owner has installed spyware on staff computers to log all internet use, all email

communications, and a keylogger that records everything the employee types. All this in addition to active telephone monitoring that is NOT revealed to clients or employees. These actions were discovered by the employee quite by chance. It would be nice to get input on this from both sides. Should Sign companies do this and should employees accept this behavior as a condition of work?

Edited September 23, 2011 by Westcoast Sign Guy
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[imanut]

Don't think the employee gets a vote in it. The expectation is that anything at work is work related. Most bosses don't have the time to check it - but the fact that it can be motivation to keep it work related.

gn

[megavolt512]

At least here in Texas, your employer can monitor ANYTHING you do on a company computer or terminal. Even read email. Use your smart-phone if you need to be private. Assume everything you do at work is being monitored. Even if nobody is watching you "live", they probably keep logs indefinitely.

[fishing nut]

If it is on thier computer and thir time, I would thye are SOL. The only thing that I think is not allowed is hidden cameras.

Things may be differnt since you are on the other side of the pond. You can always ask a lawyer. Pretty sure you wont get any shop owners answering here or sign web for fear that a lurking employee would get suspicious.

You can always tell your friend to have a friend call and inquire about a possible huge job and see what that brings. Mouse traps are always fun to watch spring.

[Brian]

Could be sour grapes from an employee. If he/she is doing nothing wrong who cares?

[alltex]

My service trucks are GPS equipped. I know where they are every 10 seconds if needed. My service crews are aware of this. As far as watching internet usage. I don't think that's an issue. The folks who have access, do their jobs. If they mess around a little, it's OK.

[fishing nut]

I was visiting a shop in the tennessee area and the owner told me that he has all his trucks equiped with GPS as well he didnt get into to much detail but there is a feature that when the truck went within anywhere that sold alchohol or stopped for longer than 10 minuites an indicator would show up on his PC

[HansonSigns]

I just think if it's the company computer, the business owner can do whatever - he/she is ultimately responsible for everything that goes on at work. I am not sure about the legality (in the US) on monitoring the phone calls - I think we legally have to let the customer know if that is happening. Unless your Homeland Security, that is...

[signfabs]

A sign manufacturer in our area has CCTV and audio at each workstation.

If an employee goes off camera for more than a few seconds, he (they won't hire women) is hailed on the PA to explain.

Workers are not allowed radios or music because it would interfere with the audio monitoring.

Not surprisingly, employees are also paid as little as they can get away with and generally not treated with respect.

It's not like it's a production line where monitoring would be reasonable or that the company's prices are lower than their opposition..

I'm not sure why, but they have trouble hiring or retaining experienced staff.

In eight years, they have not had a project manager stay more than three months.

As a result, the output per staff member is much lower and they have lots of quality issues.

Despite these "efficiencies" the business (in another incarnation) has previously gone into liquidation.

Once a good employee believes he or she is not trusted or appreciated, care factor disappears, productivity falls and he or she will look for any opportunity to get out.

The employee you have spent time and money training ends up at your opposition.

Your employees are as important as your clients.

Have fun

Greg

[Signworksinc]

leave work at work and play at play. that's what lunch and breaks are for. Best bet is get a blackberry or iphone.

[UFB Fabrication]

We dont have a ton of office staff so I dont feel the need yet. I do feel it ok to surf the net or play on Facebook while at lunch but at some point a line must drawn. I do wish I had cctv in the shop for the 2 work comp claims we had. If it got to a point to ask to look at someones smart phone I would have already fired them. I am sorry to say but when folks here expect to be paid I also expect of work to be done. I would comment more but I must check my Facebook........