BigBrother! Monitoring software.....

[woodyuk]

Hi

Just started on site at a small client, who has decided to install full monitoring software.

All my actions on the work machine are captured, screenshots, even video capture if needed etc. It works out how many words have been typed, mouse actions resulting in a % of how hard you have worked today. You are banned for ANY use outside of your work on the computer. Having to remember never to use any password that I might use personally, in case they can see them.

Hearing horror stories from current staff about management firing staff/contractors for not meeting a certain activity percentage per day. Everyone is in total fear every day, the smokers in particular

Personally, i have always worked like mad for a few hours, and then need a brain reset - not sure how long I am going to last here!

Anyone else experienced this?

[PermieToContractorAndBack]

I've seen this done once at a company I worked in but only to the call centre staff. Mostly because there had been some abuse issues going.

It's unlikely that I would get on with a line manager/hiring manager/supervisor who thought this was a clever way to manage staff.

If you don't mind my saying, what nationalities run the company? I have a guess but will reveal after your response.

[cojak]

Lordy! So much for deliverables and results.

Well, as a contractor, I would suggest that you do your best but with that self-confident ‘WGAS?’ Contractor’s attitude that permies can’t begin to grasp.

If you survive, treat yourself to a large, expensive bottle of scotch.

If you don’t, well...

[MarillionFan]

Frankly I'd tell them to fook right off. What on earth are you doing?

[Lance]

I used to setup this sort of system. It's mostly bollocks. Almost always unenforceable, except for contractors.

If they have a problem with you from reports of this tell tell them to get fooked and walk.
After that they'll have no use for it as they can't use it for perms and if they think all contractors just walk they'll realise it's a stupid idea (hint: it is).

[greenlake]

[jamesbrown]

[NotAllThere]

I'm guessing bring in your own laptop tethered to your phone would be frowned upon then.

[tarbera]

Have you

Signed a "Consent form" and been fully briefed by the company on the software use.?

Did they inform you it captures personal or sensitive data ?

[Hobosapien]

...Hearing horror stories from current staff about management firing staff/contractors for not meeting a certain activity percentage per day. Everyone is in total fear every day, ...

Anyone else experienced this?

Nope, but I can guarantee it would be a very short experience.

Life's too short for this sort of management bulltulip. In fact I wish I had some twat try to implement this in a contract just so I could show how little of a tulip I gave about it, and see what inventive workarounds I could find to keep it entertaining while it lasted.

That keyboard weeble is a good one. Saw it in an episode of The Simpsons where Homer set one up at his work to always press 'Yes' when the system kept asking him questions. Predictably, it ended up with him blowing up the nuclear reactor.

Personally I'd look around for another contract and in the meantime laugh out loud whenever you hear anyone mentioning the tracking and how fearful they are. I'd be winding the permies up, particularly any management supporting this practice, it's what they deserve for putting up with this tulip.

I did have a client where they had some very bad management practices, for the permies, I used my contractor 'not interested in it, I'm just here to finish this project' get out of permie bollocks card and ignored all their 'must do this or must not say that' happy clappy bulltulip. Unfortunately I wasn't in the office on the day a fellow contractor stood up and exclaimed it was all a load of bollocks and the management were dickheads and walked out. I would have given him as standing ovation. That wasn't as bad as this tracking stuff though.