The Line Between Security Camera Usage And Employee Privacy

It can be extremely easy to find a reason to install a security system. Employee theft, vandalism, drug use, or violence are obviously very acceptable reasons to have a security camera system or CCTV system put in place. These are all perfectly valid reasons to keep your business under a camera’s watchful eye. That being said there are cases where security cameras might be perceived as an invasion of privacy by your employees. However, there are ways to keep everything under surveillance while still keeping your employees privacy intact.

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Communication is one of the biggest aspects of any successful business. You communicate your ideas in the meeting room. You communicate deadlines to make sure employees stay on task. You should also communicate whether or not you are going to be putting up a security camera system. Further explaining your reasoning behind why you wish to put up the camera system will also go along way to let your employees be aware of the situation. Letting everyone know about possible employee theft or vandalism will help alleviate any lingering suspicion about the purpose of the surveillance. Communicating where the cameras will be, for how long, and for what purpose can also help by avoiding any possible legal trouble in the future as long as all of the employees are aware.

By recording audio in your surveillance, you are treading a very thin line between legal and illegal, so it is best to keep it quiet. There are specific laws against simultaneous audio and video recording. If, for example you do both, you are pretty much wiretapping, and thus, all employee privacy is now out of the window. While there are ways to do both audio and visual surveillance, the legal requirements are extremely strict and filled with red tape. 9 times out of 10, it will be best to avoid all the legal ramifications that could come about, so keeping it strictly visual would more than likely be for the best.

Staying visible is yet another way to keep employees feeling secure while keeping your business secure. Always do your best to keep the cameras in a completely visible spot so that everyone can spot them easily. By placing the cameras in plain view, you are letting your workers know exactly where the cameras are stationed. This will help to keep them feeling okay about their privacy as they wont view it as a covert hiding place where they could view it as them being spied upon.

There is a very thin line between necessary surveillance and the privacy of your employees. Obviously if there is due cause, it only makes sense to install a camera security system. Just make sure that upon doing so you allow all of your employees to be aware of the situation, the places where the security cameras are placed, and letting them know if there will be audio recording and for what purpose. (Some federal laws can come into play if audio is involved, so be careful.) These guidelines will help to keep your business protected while also protected your employees privacy, so that way, everyone wins.

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