Human Factors In CCTV Control Rooms: A Best Practice Guide

IntroductionOrganisationJobIndividualOther information06OrganisationThe key issue is to determine the nature of the securityfunction that the CCTV control room is to fulfil, andthen support CCTV operators in fulfilling this functionby ensuring that security is appropriately prioritised intheir day to day working routines. In practice it is rarelythe case that CCTV control rooms fulfil only a securityfunction – in addition they may act as an informationpoint for customer queries, or a gatherer of evidencefor the police, or provide administrative duties to theorganisation in which they are based. A CCTV operator,undertaking a variety of tasks that fall under each of thesefunctions, will inevitably have to prioritise particular tasksover others when the control room gets busy. This isdiscussed further in the Job chapter.Organisational culture and the control roomIn the same way that individual organisations have uniqueoperational goals, each has its own unique ‘culture’– sometimes referred to as “the way we do thingsaround here”. A company’s culture will have developedover a number of years and is expressed in its formalmanagement practices and systems, communications,expressed values or mission statements as well as inmore informal practices and ways of doing things. Allthese factors will influence how emloyees are expected tobehave (and actually behave) and which behaviours andattitudes are encouraged and rewarded or discouragedand punished. There may be a strict and formal hierarchywithin the company or, in contrast, attitudes to authorityAlthough organisational culture may be difficultto define, if you have worked for several differentorganisations you may have noticed how theexperience of working in one situation comparedto another. Behaviours acceptable in one companymay have been completely unacceptable in another.As an example, think about how the experience ofin working for a City bank might differ from workingfor a creative design consultancy. How might thefollowing aspects differ?yy Communication stylesyy Dress codeyy Challenging others’ ideasyy ‘Rules’ of behaviour in the officeyy Attitudes to authorityyy Tolerance of individualitymay be more relaxed. Certain groups or teams within theorganisation may hold their own beliefs and have waysof doing things which differ in some ways from the widerorganisation, and this might include the CCTV controlroom team. The overall culture of an organisation will alsoincorporate its ‘security culture’ – the CPNI provides furtheradvice on its website on how to promote a healthy securityculture (see further resources at the end of this chapter).Recommendationsyy The CCTV control room function andits operators should be visibly andactively supported by all membersof the organisation, particularly bysenior management.

IntroductionOrganisationJobIndividualOrganisationA full discussion of culture is not the aim of this guide andit is not expected that CCTV line managers can singlehandedly change the wider culture within a company.However, it is important to consider how companyculture could impact control room team attitudes andperformance. Key aspects to consider here are givenbelow – most of these relate to the ‘status’ of controlroom staff.yy In some settings, the status of security staff maydiffer markedly from that of other employees; in thissituation it can be difficult for them to challenge seniorcolleagues (because of the ‘power difference’) unlesstheir role is suitably supported. Sometimes, the CCTVroom can be a base for members of other internal/external teams or agencies – in this case such powerdifferences may operate within the control roomitself. All team members should feel comfortable incommunicating with and supporting others. Teamcohesiveness can be improved by team training (seeIndividual chapter) and effective leadership.yy In certain control rooms the staff may not have theorganisation’s formal (or informal) authority or powerto escalate potential incidents directly to externalteams or agencies (e.g. police etc). This may act asa barrier to the reporting of incidents or could causeunnecessary delay. Appropriate procedures andtraining (see Individual chapter) and clarification ofroles are important here.yy As well as helping or hindering the tasks they haveto carry out, the status of the control room facilityand attitudes towards its staff can affect operators’personal perceptions of job satisfaction and motivationto do a good job.yy The above issues may also be influenced by whetheroperators are contracted to an external company oremployed directly by the organisation where they carryout their role; it is sometimes, but not always, the casethat contracted employees may feel less committed to,or engaged with, the organisation compared to otheremployees. The treatment of contracted staff shouldaim to promote a sense of belonging and commitmentto the site where they carry out their work.Other information07

IntroductionOrganisationJobIndividualOther information08OrganisationLeadership and management of the CCTV teamResearch indicates that highly motivated employeesperform better and show more commitment to theorganisation than unmotivated employees. The waythat people are managed and led can significantly affecttheir perceptions about their job, and in turn their jobmotivation. Motivation can be a personal trait (i.e. be partof someone’s personality) but it is strongly influenced byelements of the job itself (see also Job chapter as partof job design). It is also associated with the rewards aperson receives from doing the job. Rewards includethe personal satisfaction from a job well-done, as wellas recognition from the organisation’s customers,team members and managers. Evidence suggests thatpoor management and leadership contribute towardsemployee dissatisfaction and job-related stress(see Other information chapter for more informationon stress).A way of looking at management is that it is aboutobjectives and systems whereas leadership goesbeyond this. Good leadership incorporates effectivemanagement but in addition affects team performancethrough influencing and motivating others to support jobmotivation, effectiveness and job satisfaction. Leadershipand management are very broad subjects but basicissues are outlined below.Leadership/management trainingThe minimum recommendation here is that first linesupervisors and/or managers should receive formalleadership training which is aimed at achievingeffective team and individual performance and which isappropriate for the context in which they work.AppraisalRegular appraisals help encourage employee motivationand maintain commitment. At minimum:yy Appraisers should receive appropriate training forconducting company appraisals.yy Appraisals should identify mutually acceptableperformance and development goals. These individualgoals are often linked to the goals of the team,department and/or organisation (see below).yy Appraisals may or may not be linked with rewards(including pay); however where they are linked withrewards care should be taken to ensure that theprocess of reward distribution is systematic and fair,and also perceived as such by all team members (seebelow).Recommendationsyy CCTV first-line leaders (supervisors/managers) should be appropriatelytrained in order to support andmotivate their team.yy The CCTV operators’ role should besupported by effective performanceand appraisal systems.

IntroductionOrganisationJobIndividualOther information09OrganisationGoal settingThe setting of appropriate job-related goals is one wayto support the performance of the CCTV team and itsleaders. Often performance targets are managed by thehuman resources function; however CCTV managersshould play a part in setting relevant goals for their team.Performance in an organisation can be managed on threelevels2 as shown below.Ideally, the goals and targets of control room employeesshould reflect an integrated approach which aligns withorganisational goals and the operational requirements ofthe CCTV control room and also form part of the overallappraisal system. The primary aim should be to developkey performance indicators (KPIs) for employees that inpractice encourage the desired workplace behaviours.IndividualComparing how wellthe individual performs incomparison to others inthe same role or howwell the individual hasdeveloped in the durationof his/her employment.yy Group-based goals do not tend to have such astrong effect on performance compared to individuallybased goals. The implication is that individualemployees will have less control over goal attainmentwhen performance targets are group-based.yy Individually-based KPIs have the potential toencourage individual performance to the detriment ofteam performance, especially if linked to remuneration.This means that ‘extra-role’ behaviours that are notpart of a formal job description might be neglected inan effort to gain a high personal rating. This includesadvantageous behaviours such as helping others tocarry out their tasks or occasionally going beyondthe minimum role requirements. Research indicatesthat these additional behaviours make an importantcontribution to organisational performance eventhough they are not formally required or rewarded3.Organisation goalsHow well the companyperforms in meetingits vision, strategy andmission statement.These goals should bewidely communicatedand understood throughoutthe organisation.However, care should be taken when considering groupand individually-based goals for the CCTV team because:IntegratedIntegration of individualgoals with organisationalgoals. This translatesorganisational goals intoindividual or group targetsto encourage employeesto promote organisationalperformance.

IntroductionOrganisationJobIndividualOther information10OrganisationMore information on how goals work is given below.How goals workThe setting of performance goals that are specificand challenging (but not impossible) and to whicha person feels committed, is likely to improve his/her work performance as long as he/she receivesfeedback on progress. Research has confirmed thefollowing:yy Difficult/challenging goals lead to higherperformance than easy goals as long as they havebeen accepted by the person trying to achievethem. People direct their behaviour towards goalachievement, so that difficult goals produce moreeffective behaviour than easy ones.yy Specific goals lead to higher performance than ‘doyour best’ goals. Specific goals create a preciseintention, which in turn helps people shape theirbehaviour with precision.yy Knowledge of results (feedback) is essential ifthe full performance benefits of setting difficultand specific goals are to be achieved. Feedbackprovides a person with information and hasmotivating properties.yy The beneficial effects of goal-setting dependpartly on a person’s goal commitment – that ishis/her determination to achieve the goal andunwillingness to abandon or reduce it.Justice – fair treatmentResearch suggests that employees actively monitorwhether they are fairly treated compared to otherswithin their own team and others in the organisation– for example in how rewards (such as recognition,development, benefits, pay etc) are distributed and shared.When people feel that they are unfairly treated, theircommitment to the organisation is likely to decline andjob performance can drop. It is important that supervisorsand managers actively set out to treat each team memberas an individual and demonstrate fairness of treatment inall aspects of interactions with and management of theCCTV team. The effects of experiencing unfair treatmentcan include withdrawal (disengagement from the job ororganisation) and lack of motivation.Managing expectations – communicationsIt is important that supervisors and managers setmutually understood expectations for the CCTVteam. Evidence confirms that, as well as the formalemployment contract with the organisation, employeesdevelop personal beliefs and expectations about therole; these could be about rewards, expectations aboutdevelopment and about how he/she will be treated.These are not necessarily part of a formal written contractbut are conveyed to the employee during interactionswith the recruiters and interviewers at the recruitmentstage and with leaders (team leaders, supervisors,managers) during formal or informal communications.Employees’ behaviour can be negatively affectedwhen they perceive that their organisation has brokena promise made to them; this is whether the promisehas been made explicitly or implicitly. Research in thisarea has suggested that breaches of this ‘psychologicalcontract’ are caused by inadequate provision of humanresource management practices, lack of organisationalor supervisor support or when employees compare theirdeal, unfavourably, with other organisations.3Consequences of this ‘contract breach’ are reducedemployee well-being, negative job attitudes, jobdissatisfaction, low commitment, lower job performance,reduced organisational citizenship, and increasedwithdrawal, such as leaving the organisation. In extremecases, disgruntled employees may resort to retaliatorybehaviours against the organisation (the so called ‘insiderthreat’)4. Effective leadership and communications canmitigate these types of behaviours but as an additionalcheck it is recommended that all employees areinterviewed when they leave the organisation.

urther resourcesOperational requirementsSee CPNI websitewww.cpni.gov.ukCultureSchein, E. H. (2010).Organizational Cultureand Leadership.San Francisco: John Wiley.The CPNI provides advice onsecurity culture on its website.LeadershipAntonakis, J., Cianciolo,A. T & Sternberg, R. J. (2004).The Nature of Leadership.London: Sage.MotivationLatham, G. P. (2007).Work Motivation: history, theory,research and practice.London: Sage.The CPNI has published a detailedadvice document on guard forcemotivationSee the CPNI websitewww.cpni.gov.ukPsychological contractRousseau, D. M. (1995).Psychological Contracts inOrganizations: understandingwritten and unwritten agreements.London: Sage.Other information11

IntroductionOrganisationJobIndividualOther information12JobAbout this chapterThis chapter deals in detail with what happens withinthe control room itself. It considers job design – thetypes of tasks done by individuals and allocation ofactivities to be carried out amongst the team. It alsocovers the immediate physical surroundings in which theoperator works – both technological and environmental(sometimes called ‘ergonomics’). Overall, this is about‘fitting the job to the person’ – the message throughoutis that good job design supports good performance andminimises human error.Task design for job satisfactionAs mentioned in the Organisation chapter humanfactors recognises that the way employees are managedand treated by leaders will influence their motivation todo a good job. However, the features of the job itself canalso affect job satisfaction. Job satisfaction in itself doesnot necessarily guarantee that a person will be highlymotivated; however someone who experiences low jobsatisfaction is highly unlikely to be motivated. Evidencesuggests there are particular elements of a job that cancontribute to job satisfaction5.Skill variety – the opportunity for an employee to use avariety of skills.Task identity – performing a task through from beginningto end and be able to see the outcome.Task significance – the perception that a job has animpact on other people, either inside or outside theorganisation.Autonomy – allowing the job-holder to exercise choiceand discretion in his or her work.Feedback from job – how far the job, in itself, providesinformation to the job holder on how well he/she isperforming.There may be scope for managers to influence thedesign of the CCTV roles within their team, in whichcase the above can be used as a guiding frameworkto make these roles more motivating. Most efforts toredesign jobs achieve this by adding more tasks to a roleor greater decision-making or challenge6. In addition,known techniques such as job rotation (where anoperator will assume different team roles on a regularbasis) and semi-autonomous work-groups (where a teamof operators will be more self-directed than is typical) canbe useful for redesigning jobs with the aim of increasingjob satisfaction.Recommendationsyy Individual jobs should be designedto promote job satisfaction – thiscan be achieved by altering jobcharacteristics rather than focusingon financial remuneration.

IntroductionOrganisationJobIndividualOther information13JobTask workloadThe amount of work that each individual team memberwill have to do at various times is a very importantconsideration for designing jobs. This is known asworkload which can be understood as the amount ofwork (mental or physical) an individual has to do and thetime available to do it in. Everyone has different talentswhich may affect how much capacity they have forsatisfying task demands. However both long-term workoverload (too much work) and underload (not enoughwork) pose a risk to well-being and effective functioningfor the control room.Overload is likely to make an individual feel stressed, andincrease the chance of mistakes being made and workquality reducing. Stress can also put both physical andmental health at risk. Additional information on stress andhow to measure the extent of stress in the workforce isfeatured in the Other information chapter.Work underload tends to promote boredom, distractionand general dissatisfaction. Mistakes due to workunderload are very common, especially in workplaceswhere there is the need to carry out routine, repetitivetasks. Underload can be addressed by considering jobdesign (see Task Design above).The amount and type of work that overloads andunderloads an operator will vary, and it will also varyas the operator becomes more proficient in a job role.It is therefore advisable to measure workload where this issuspected to be an issue – see the Other informationchapter.Task automationHumans are good at carrying out relatively varied work,while machines can process vast quantities of informationand be used to complete more boring or predictabletasks. For example, intelligent detection systems (e.g.fence or door alarms) are often used in CCTV rooms toreplace continuous human monitoring and automaticallydetect intruders or other events; alarms (auditory orvisual) are often linked to these systems.Use of these systems should be very carefully consideredin the context of other tasks that operators need tocarry out, the main question being – is detection actuallyenhanced by such devices? Making certain processesautomatic can help to reduce the burden on operatorsbut it is important that operators can override suchautomation for more unusual operating conditions.In addition, in practice it may not always be the case thatthe workload of operators is actually reduced, especiallyif systems are unreliable or generate an unacceptablelevel of false positive, or false ne

The guide focuses on the design and running of CCTV control rooms with respect to the characteristics of the people that work in them. The stance adopted throughout the guide is that of user-centred design. Essentially this means creating a CCTV control room that is designed to support the activities of the control room