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Barclays scraps 'Big Brother' staff tracking system within one week

bbc.co.uk

41–50 of 170 posts

Re: Barclays scraps 'Big Brother' staff tracking system within one week

#41
post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure "Want a raise? Start stealing!" is the greatest incentive structure...

Otoh "Want employee loyalty? Start treating them reasonably." probably is.

Yeah, there may have been other long term benefits that were not accounted for in the cost comparison. For example, people like to shop at places with happy employees. The commenter mentioned that the place doesnt exist any more.

Re: Barclays scraps 'Big Brother' staff tracking system within one week

#42
post #26
post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Those cameras in retail stores are, first and foremost, used to track employee theft In my history, before finding my terminal career, I worked retail management. I worked for a chain that is no longer open, so I'm fairly certain I can say whatever I want about it now. I was fast-tracked for upper-level corporate management (I think it was the combination of not-giving-a-fuck based on depression and low-grade sociop…

What was the cost difference? Did the shrink reduction exceed the $3/hr raise in value but not by enough? Or was the raise not offset at all by the reduction?

> What was the cost difference?

Doesn't matter. I bet it adversely affected someone's bonus and that was why it was scrapped.

Re: Barclays scraps 'Big Brother' staff tracking system within one week

#43

I am pretty sure this will come back just slightly modified. And other companies will do the same. It will be really hard to stop the trend toward total surveillance. It gets cheaper and cheaper every year and more capable.

What should be the response of workers?

Re: Barclays scraps 'Big Brother' staff tracking system within one week

#44

At work, my staff (20ish developers) usually clock in/out sharp bcoz of attendance, but they take 2+ hours lunch break and ~1hr for prayer breaks (2x within work hour), which I don't mind. But what frustrates me is their work is slow and low quality (not everyone), and I do thought about "short term" tracking like this. Thoughts? (I just joined, so I "inherited" this)

Set expectations on the work, not over what periods in the day it's done.

Re: Barclays scraps 'Big Brother' staff tracking system within one week

#45

> "Managers would never get away with breathing down employee's necks, personally monitoring their screens or logging toilet and water breaks," They wouldn't? Isn't that reality for a lot of workers?

Isn't that the point of open offices?

Re: Barclays scraps 'Big Brother' staff tracking system within one week

#46

So, they basically treated people like low-level employees at a call center in the US? This sort of thing isn't actually new. Those cameras in retail stores are, first and foremost, used to track employee theft - including theft of company time spent talking to other employees. Are you a call center employee that has to go poop often that day or are 3 minutes late from break? Expect a call from HR for the bathroom br…

It does happen in the US, and in banks, and not just low-level employees. Palantir sells the service. It has been used by JP Morgan for a few years: https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2018-palantir-peter-thiel

In LOTR the Palantir is used by Sauron to corrupt and subdue Saruman by displaying visions of terror. Coincidentally a Palantir employee in collaboration with Cambridge Analytica were instrumental in the Republicans hard lean into fear-based messaging leading into the 2016 Presidential election.

Re: Barclays scraps 'Big Brother' staff tracking system within one week

#47
post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Otoh "Want employee loyalty? Start treating them reasonably." probably is.

You don't treat reasonably your tools. That's how some companies see their employees.

You believe this?—ask any tradesman, mechanic or PE—"Take care of your tools and they will take care of you" is gospel in those fields.

The same, then, should apply to "living tools" if your analogy obtains.

Re: Barclays scraps 'Big Brother' staff tracking system within one week

#48
post #22

Systems like that are actually great for the employees, because every minute is accounted for and when you stay an hour longer at work you can expect to be paid for it at overtime rate.

Not when everyone is classed as Exempt staff and therefore ineligible for Overtime.

Except in the US exempt position are subject to pretty harsh restrictions. Just because a technical position is OT Exempt in the US that does not translate to the employer being allowed to request they work "OT" for free (Like asking you to +5/10 every week). In fact many large companies had been slapped by the DOL and forced to move those technical positions and even managerial in some cases to hourly due to systemic abuses.

Dont ever let anyone tell you that you are defenseless as an OT exempt salary employee in a technical position. Contact a Lawyer if you feel you are being abused and your management refuses to fix the issues.

Re: Barclays scraps 'Big Brother' staff tracking system within one week

#49

"The software, Sapience, claims to create "unprecedented transparency" within companies." The spin makes me dizzy.

LOL, is the CEO's office being monitored and played by the water cooler? It's only transparent if it goes all the way around.

Exactly. If it made people mutually accountable, such that line employees could keep the execs in line, I'd at least be willing to listen. But micromanagement isn't transparency.

Re: Barclays scraps 'Big Brother' staff tracking system within one week

#50
post #26
post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Those cameras in retail stores are, first and foremost, used to track employee theft In my history, before finding my terminal career, I worked retail management. I worked for a chain that is no longer open, so I'm fairly certain I can say whatever I want about it now. I was fast-tracked for upper-level corporate management (I think it was the combination of not-giving-a-fuck based on depression and low-grade sociop…

What was the cost difference? Did the shrink reduction exceed the $3/hr raise in value but not by enough? Or was the raise not offset at all by the reduction?

Or does this simply show a cultural problem among upper-management types, where they exclusively use the stick over the carrot because it makes them feel powerful, important, and morally superior?
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