Unfortunately for us all, workplace harassment is still a serious issue in all industries. It is reported that 1 in 5 employees have experienced harassment while at their place of employment.
It can quickly turn a good environment into something toxic, reduce employee morale, cause legal battles, and transform an overall comfortable space into a dreadful place to be.
Almost every company has policies in place to reduce this, including video surveillance systems for accountability, and some even go further by limiting access to certain areas to authorized personnel only or specific groups of employees. However, while these steps are beneficial, they cannot entirely eliminate harassment and can, in some cases, mask the underlying issue, creating hoops to jump through rather than addressing the problem.
Even more than that, bringing an allegation of harassment is risky to one’s career, causing many to suffer silently under that harassment, rather than bring the problem to light.
Private, hidden voice recorders can provide protection for the employee. Discrete surveillance cameras are a measure that employers can implement to discourage and document a toxic work environment.
What Workplace Harassment Is
Before examining personal workplace video surveillance cameras, it's essential to understand what constitutes workplace harassment. It can take many forms and isn't always caught by the company's surveillance footage.
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Verbal Abuse: This includes insults, derogatory comments or terms, and offensive jokes
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Physical Harassment: This includes aggressive behavior, threatening gestures, and unwanted physical contact
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Sexual Harassment: This includes verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, unwelcome sexual advances, and requests for sexual favors
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Discrimination: This includes treating someone poorly based on their gender, race, religion, or protected characteristics
Workplace harassment is damaging not only to the victim but also to the work culture. Statistics show that it decreases productivity, increases absences, and contributes to turnover rates.
You can play a role in creating a secure work environment for yourself as well as those around you by being informed and taking workplace surveillance into your own hands.
Video Surveillance Systems for Preventing Harassment and Improving Employee Safety
Advanced surveillance systems can be a powerful tool when it comes to preventing workplace violence. It's essential to comply with the guidelines and protocols established by your employer, as well as local and state laws. We don't want you to be the one facing legal consequences, which means doing your research is very important.
Evidence Collection
While many companies do everything they can to protect employees, they also need evidence before they can take action against or on behalf of a specific party. One person's word against another's isn't good enough. Having footage at your fingertips is a fantastic way to resolve the situation in a respectful way that's above reproach.
Accountability
It's not that you need to prove you're always right, but your safety and your reputation are essential. Having recordings of interactions that are being misrepresented will allow you to clear up any misunderstandings and extend an attitude of accountability and respect to everyone involved.
Best Practices for Using Surveillance Cameras
Using security cameras can be highly effective if you know how to use them in a workplace. It's also essential that you consider the situation and take into account all the relevant factors.
Legal Compliance
Every state's laws and regulations regarding personal surveillance differ. Generally speaking, anyone is allowed to record in public places without asking for consent from the parties involved. There are usually restrictions on where the camera can be placed. For example, it is never legal to put cameras in restrooms.
Company Policies
On top of your state's laws and regulations, you will need to consider the policies of your company. Some companies strictly forbid private cameras with the stated purpose of protecting employee privacy. We do not want you to put your job at risk, so always check with a trusted superior, HR, or your company's policies before purchasing a surveillance device, and follow the appropriate steps if harassment occurs.
Review of Surveillance Footage
As a responsible owner of a covert security device, it is your responsibility to review the footage you collect. You may have caught something you forgot about, or captured an event that you weren't aware of in the moment. This can help identify problems and people before something serious takes place.
The Combination Approach
Personal surveillance devices are an invaluable tool, but they must be used correctly. Don't only rely on what you collect. Instead, collaborate with your company and HR department to combine your efforts and develop the best solutions. These invariably involve training programs, clear communication, and intentionality.
Our Top 3 Surveillance System Devices
Voice-Activated Sleek Audio Recorder Pen with 20 Hour Battery
https://spycentre.com/
This sleek, voice-activated pen is not only stylish, but it's also stealthy. It features a one-button operation setup, meaning it's a fully functioning, note-taking, covert recording device. It's perfect for those who want to take proactive measures but don't want to exacerbate a hostile work environment by making their intentions known.
The battery can last about 20 hours and will recharge in about an hour. It has 144 hours of storage, allowing you to maintain constant surveillance while you're at work. You can enable sound-level triggering control as well as quality control to get yourself set perfectly to catch those potential threats.
If you find yourself in a private setting and need to verify if you have the necessary evidence, there is a headphone jack and a remote to playback recordings. You can also download the files onto your Mac or Windows computer whenever you have the chance.
Digital Voice Recorder Watch
https://spycentre.com/
It's not always prudent or practical to grab your audio recorder when something starts happening. You can't always make it happen without people noticing, either. This is why it's essential to strike a balance between security measures and accessibility. The Digital Voice Recorder Watch is the ideal solution for on-the-go workplace security. Not only does it have a simple, one-button on and off switch, but it's also very stylish. If anyone notices your watch, it will be because they like the look, not because they know they're being recorded.
This wristband has several recording settings, including continuous, voice-activated, and scheduled options. With a full charge, it can go for 33 hours and store up to 1152 hours of voice recordings. It can be recharged in 60 minutes, making it ideal for on-the-go situations. Talk about integrated security solutions. This one blends perfectly with your casual or business attire.
You can play the audio recordings through any supported media or VLC media player. The files are each time and date-stamped so that you never lose track of when something was said.
WIFI Air Purifier Security Camera
https://spycentre.com/
The two devices above are just audio recorders, which are incredible, but also limited. If you want video evidence, go with the WIFI Air Purifier Security Camera. This deceptively functional camera will keep the air clean around you and provide high-definition, 1080p footage of anyone who approaches your desk. The disguise is so complete that no one will know you're recording. You might even have more visits to your desk than usual from coworkers hoping to soak in some of that purified air!
You can connect your phone to your camera for live-view access, which provides you with extra freedom. You can go get a cup of coffee without worrying about internal theft. You can enjoy a 90-degree field of view and even infrared night vision for increased workplace safety.
The device utilizes a 256 GB SD card that can hold 200 hours of HD video, and that's not even the best part. Once you set up the air purifier, you never have to touch it again because you can review and download the information on the SD card directly from the application! This eliminates any suspicious fiddling with the air purifier and allows it to fly under the radar completely unnoticed by anyone except yourself.
Now, if someone does realize what's happening and chooses to take the storage card, you don't have to worry. All footage is encrypted and encoded and is unplayable by traditional video players.
Conclusion
Surveillance devices play a critical role in preventing or stopping workplace harassment. You can choose to become unofficial security personnel and contribute to a healthy, accountable environment that thrives, encourages, and succeeds.
Remember to always check local laws and business policies before making any purchase so that there's no risk of you being in the wrong. The entire point of taking initiative is making your space safer, not getting yourself in trouble.