Is your company Big Brother?

[wilsonian]

I recently worked at a company (for over 4 years) which implied some tight rules, which personally i couldn't beleive they were allowed to do.

Have a read of the follow and give me your views and comments on past companies you worked for (or still working for).

Starting work.

1, You HAD to turn up 10 minutes before your offical start time, as logging on quick nip to the loo etc all took time. if you did the manager, although wouldn't give you an offical warning, would give you a head ache!

2, Clocking in. you had to sign a sheet of paper with the time and ur name, put your hand in a plam scanner and you were issued a barcoded pass which you had to scan into the system.

3, Lateness. up to 15 minutes late and you were docked 15 minutes (even if it was a minute, however you weren't paid 15 mintues extra if you stayed later or turned up earlier). if late 3 times in one month (even by 1 minute) you got "invited" into a discerplinary meeting

4, Breaks. you HAD to clock in and out for break - if not another "invite" came your way!

5, Searches. every time you left the building you HAD to be searched - only male members as they had no female security officers!

6, fully 360 camera monitoring workers - my manager would get calls off the MD asking him why XYZ is standing there etc.

7, Only water. it takes time to make a cup of tea or coffee - only water was allowed. only allowed to eat on breaks.

8, no mobile phones. not even on silent. to make sure no one had there phone on the MD phoned people (by getting the number from your file) and again "inviting" you into a meeting. according to accas they can do this - as i found out!

9, Toilet. only allowed on break. if not you had to have a damn good reason why your going!

there where other things which most companies ignore like chatting in the work place etc which this company tried to squash. is it just me or are companies getting very employee unfriendly. i know your not there to make friends and have a laugh but it's a proven fact that a happy worker is a productive worker and can produce up to 3 times the results as some one under these rules.

I'm not snitching on any one company (hence no names mentioned) just wondering if any other companies are this "power crazy"?

[hoodmeister]

Don't name the company, as you don't want to... But can I ask what sort of job it was?

Yes, that's pretty shocking.

[Lee H]

I used to work for a company (no names) who would not believe that I had a severe shoulder issue, with tendon and ligament damage even though I had scan results, x-ray results, operations and even consultations with a specialist and reports from him for work.

They had me see their own doctor who did more damage moving my arm which then went blue and swollen on the shoulder joint, causing another 3 weeks setback...

[RDL]

Out of interest, what was the company? That sounds very much like call centre conditions to me, from what I've heard. Except in them you have to put your hand up to go to the toilet, and you can be refused!

[Howard]

You sure you're not mixing up the word "workplace" with "school"?

That's shocking... How ridiculous

[herulach]

Sounds a lot like a call centre to me too. THe key is to read the contract ( the entire thing, including all there working time directives etc) if you havent signed anything to say you have to be there 10 minutes early you dont have to be, (assuming youre there and ready to work on time) and as such could take them to a tribunal if they sacked you for it. As i explained to one of my regional managers when i was disciplined in a previous job for turning up in uniform walking straight on the floor and starting work, as opposed to being 10 minutes early every shift.

[Tumble]

christ that's harsh... the only place I've ever felt like that was Diamanx... they cut diamonds and make all sorts of diamond products (or did, they seeem to be disappearing).. went in to fix the photocopier - they made me sign a non-disclosure thingy before they would let me into the office - because it overlooked the shop floor with all their "special" machines in it.. and then searched me on the way out.. INCLUDING MY SHOES!!! to check I hadn't smuggled any diamonds out... "rigourous" was the term I heard used to describe the security procedures in there...

[DavidM]

You're lucky you didn't have a "customs style" search!

[mmh]

to be fair tumble, when ur talking diamonds (easy to steal small VERY VALUABLE objects) u can be sure that if they dont search u theyre doing something wrong.

i start my new job on monday (webdesign). hopefully its not gonna be like the first job posted, but i shouldnt imagine so, it looks a fairly casual office.

[herulach]

to be fair tumble, when ur talking diamonds (easy to steal small VERY VALUABLE objects) u can be sure that if they dont search u theyre doing something wrong.

i start my new job on monday (webdesign). hopefully its not gonna be like the first job posted, but i shouldnt imagine so, it looks a fairly casual office.

But if you get the sack expect to be given about 5 minutes to pack your things and then be escorted off the site never to return.

[MAdMaN]

Worst they've done at my work is monitored e-mails for words like sex and stuff like that, and set up IE to run through a proxy server. I'm ok though, as I don't use IE (I've removed the proxy settings anyway, just in case I need to use it for something) and any e-mail is sent through my ISP via it's web mail.

[manwithnoname]

My Company managed to implement a few email 'policies'
1) The first one was to block all emails containing the phrase 'sex', any email that contain customer address details like sussex and middlesex were blocked.

2) The second one was to block all incoming external email, great fun dealing with a subcontractor.

The company has future plans, I missed the presentation on it, but this great new system would record phone calls and log the users computer interactions.
Company view: great training tool, when 'calls go bad' everything the user did can be reviewed and corrected.
Everyone elses view: BIG BROTHER

Like I say I missed the presentation so the people I talked to may have been exaggerated, I has not been implemented ...yet.

[Matt1eD]

I reckon that if people are good at their job, then a laxer environment aids working - by making people more productive... however there is a laxness limit.

One shouldn't have to be 10 mins early, logon times e.t.c. should be allowed in the 9 to 5 times, otherwise you should be paid an extra 10 mins for their slow network.

Worst they've done at my work is monitored e-mails for words like sex and stuff like that, and set up IE to run through a proxy server. I'm ok though, as I don't use IE (I've removed the proxy settings anyway, just in case I need to use it for something) and any e-mail is sent through my ISP via it's web mail.

Not offending your IT staff or anything! But you've got crap security.

[MAdMaN]

Not offending your IT staff or anything! But you've got crap security.

It's not the general IT staff that're crap, it's the IT manager. He's scared to try out things he doesn't understand (Linux, wireless networking, etc.), and today he insulted a contractor who's going to be putting cabling in our new building.

He thinks he's a god, everyone else thinks he's a moron.

[Matt1eD]

He thinks he's a god, everyone else thinks he's a moron.

Ah, that sounds like alot of IT managers. Pity though, but alot I've heard of from companies requiring decent security (solicitorse.t.c.) have poor IT.

[G4Z]

Manwithnoname, why dont you speak to the IT manager about using a service like messagelabs, they offer content email filtering as well now not just anti spam and anti virus.