
Ask HN: What do you do if your boss wants to check your screen all the time? - samic
Recently my boss has installed a program (www.netcontrol2.com) on all computers which gives him the power of watching my screen and reading my keyboard and everything! What would you do if you were me?!
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bartonfink
Quit as soon as you can find a better job, and don't take your time either. I
consider that an unacceptably low level of trust on the part of your boss, and
if he wants to frame your employment relationship that way, he can find
another employee.

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hluska
Face the facts, my friend - you work for a micromanager who does not trust
you. In this situation, you have two options. You can ask him why he feels the
need to watch you for your entire shift. Or you can quit as fast as humanly
possible.

If I were in your shoes, I would quit. Working for people like your boss is
not only draining, but it will damage your career/kill your confidence.

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yummyfajitas
Open up a word document and change the font size to 64px. Type the words "I
QUIT".

The next time he fires up netcontrol2, he'll get the message.

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jodrellblank
It's not your screen, it's his screen which you are using for his purposes as
an employee. The change clarifies the way you need to think about it - legal
but an expression of low trust. At least you know he's doing it, right? It
could have been completely secret.

Do you like the work/people? Would you mind being unemployed? Are you
irreplacable? Skilled enough to get a job quickly? In a good area for jobs? Do
you have to keep the job? Are you assertive? Have you any savings? has he
picked up on anything he's seen yet? Is he otherwise a jerk? Is it targeted at
you or for everyone?

Have you been timewasting too much? If not then you can bring up your good
conduct, express regret that he doesn't trust you much, act like you feel it a
slur on your professional character and that micromanaging makes it a more
hostile workplace. Reassure him that your conduct will still be good and ask
that he remove it.

If so, less wiggle room, maybe have a meeting to clear the air and offer him
something else, another way to show improvement that he can verify like a
voluntary daily report of tasks progressed or whatever you think of, in
exchange for removing it.

Lots of people have to perform their job under constant scrutiny - shop
assistants, screen and theatre actors, taxi and bus drivers, receptionists and
front of house staff, etc. that suggests it is possible to work like that, so
is it worth the trade off of staying?

It might be an indicator of a paranoid boss who won't be fun to work for, but
then lots if people work for unpleasant people and survive.

Can you use it as a learning experience to raise your game to meet it as a
challenge to meet and exceed his expectations? Is he likely to acknowledge
that you are behaving fine and relax his policy? Does this extend to other
things at work too?

Do nothing, or do something, but first think what you want to happen in your
near future, and second what things you are willing to trade to get there.

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VicT11
Honestly,I would be offended. Good work is demonstrated by output. Having the
feeling of someone looking over your shoulder is a statement of a lack of
trust and confidence. I can't speak for you or your situation, but I would
openly communicate this and try to find a solution that is mutually
beneficial. Maybe your manager is concerned about the level of output, which
can be measured in different less intrusive ways. Try to identify his
motivation and find a solution that works for both parties.

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glimcat
I try to avoid working for paranoid gits.

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nuclearsandwich
Switch to Linux, use a tiling WM, download the first four seasons of IT Crowd.
Watch them in a 1 inch floating screen while doing your job. Wait for the
laugh from boss's office. Or is it only sound... yeah just quit and work
somewhere awesomer.

~~~
astrodust
A true hacker would subvert the screencast to feed a pre-made stream back to
the boss.

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ww520
Just quit and let him know.

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parasitius
Develop your own alternate english alphabet and change all system fonts to a
custom font that has that alphabet, it is a brutal learning curve to be
reading fluently again... but I did this in highschool... can freely open news
articles and read them, he can't tell the difference

~~~
astrodust
There's pre-made fonts for Klingon and Elvish which wouldn't take too long to
use as a substitution.

