We had a free and open, 'do whatever the hell you wanna do' kinda policy in our non-production departments. It started at 3Com and lasted until MSL bought us. We had a smoking patio, a lovely cafeteria with free stuff, people could come and go as they pleased, and we had fun managers and supervisors. When MSL took over, they promised we would not use time clocks and we would have a free and open policy based on immediate employee trust. They learned fast that employees cannot be given free reign.
We were special and clearly above the production drones. I remember when I suggested we stop worrying about a new training program we were developing and have 3Com pay for a snowmobiling trip. A day of high-speed fun in the sun. Lovely idea, everyone said, and the next thing we knew, we were bring taken by hired livery to a nice area here in Utah for a day of fun. We got use to this endless and bottomless budget and it hurt when it went away. Some departments abused it because there were no budget watchers to say no.
Then MSL management started reviewing who went where, for how long, and when they returned. We had electronic key cards that opened doors to and from every area. Some people made long lunches part of their workday. Other took dozens of coffee breaks and the smokers used the smoking area far too much. When word spread that Big Brother could tell when you took extra smoking breaks, people would time it so they could tailgate behind others and simply walk through the open door without using their key-card.
Give a worker fifteen minutes for a break and they adapt. Give them fifteen minutes and then stop being concerned if they take twenty, they will take twenty and like lemmings, others will follow.
Interestingly, someone discovered a glitch. If they clocked in a few minutes early, they were credited with fifteen minutes of overtime. If they clocked out a few minutes after their shift ended, they were credited with fifteen minutes of OT. Did people think this was unfair to 3Com, no. Word spread and people abused the system.
When people had problems with their ESD equipment, rather than tell a supervisor, they either avoided testing and simply signed the log showing that they tested their ESD straps or they simply walked to their station and started working.
We were given a nice, new cafeteria addition with something like 30 microwave ovens. All we were asked to do is not make a mess and if we did, clean it up. People made messes they did not clean up and eventually, we were threatened with the loss the ovens. Then we decided that with few ovens, people had a problem at lunch time because fifty people trying to use just a few ovens means trouble. Ovens were returned, we did not learn from the incident, and people adapted. They brought more cold items from home and some ovens were never cleaned. They were left to fester and grow new life forms.
When you eliminate the watching, people abuse the system. So absolutely yes, I think people need to be watched because a few will abuse the generous nature of the corporation. This ruins it for others that think that Big Brother is watching Big Ben and the employee can’t be trusted. Sad fact is, many simply cannot be trusted.