Can my company force me to have a profile picture

[Benny Hilfiger]

A few months back my company, well actually not my company but my department, put out a request that we include a profile picture for use on teams, it hasn't been enforced but I'm hearing rumours that it's going to be.

I'm aware this will sound a little pathetic to some but I actually hate having my picture took and I'm very much against this for various personal reasons, I'm prepared to stand my ground and don't care if it affects my future prospects within the company.

I'm pretty sure this isn't in my terms and conditions, except maybe under a reasonable request caveat.

I regularly join teams meetings with colleagues around the world and none of them have pictures, and within my own local branch most departments don't insist on it, so it's certainly not something that the company can argue is essential to do my job

So, question is, if I refuse could this be grounds for dismissal or disciplinary action.

A quick Google suggests it can't but most of the questions I've read related to using your image externally which falls foul of GDPR rules. This will be just for internal use.

[cliffords]

I spent too many years in a big Bank where it was near mandatory but not if you know what I mean. Those that did not would get hopeless managers suggesting to them it was a good idea and part of the team .
Most said it was against their religious beliefs to have their picture taken and it was immediately dropped they were never asked again.

I was about a year from resigning and said I would only have a picture used of me in full clown makeup. They stopped asking me too.

[NNH]

cliffords said:

I spent too many years in a big Bank where it was near mandatory but not if you know what I mean. Those that did not would get hopeless managers suggesting to them it was a good idea and part of the team .
Most said it was against their religious beliefs to have their picture taken and it was immediately dropped they were never asked again.

I was about a year from resigning and said I would only have a picture used of me in full clown makeup. They stopped asking me too.

I had a similar experience at a Large bank and also a Huge bank, but I never worked for the Big bank.

[cliffords]

NNH said:

cliffords said:

I spent too many years in a big Bank where it was near mandatory but not if you know what I mean. Those that did not would get hopeless managers suggesting to them it was a good idea and part of the team .
Most said it was against their religious beliefs to have their picture taken and it was immediately dropped they were never asked again.

I was about a year from resigning and said I would only have a picture used of me in full clown makeup. They stopped asking me too.

I had a similar experience at a Large bank and also a Huge bank, but I never worked for the Big bank.

Bank should be written with a capital letter.

[Muzzer79]

Benny Hilfiger said:

A few months back my company, well actually not my company but my department, put out a request that we include a profile picture for use on teams, it hasn't been enforced but I'm hearing rumours that it's going to be.

I'm aware this will sound a little pathetic to some but I actually hate having my picture took and I'm very much against this for various personal reasons, I'm prepared to stand my ground and don't care if it affects my future prospects within the company.

I'm pretty sure this isn't in my terms and conditions, except maybe under a reasonable request caveat.

I regularly join teams meetings with colleagues around the world and none of them have pictures, and within my own local branch most departments don't insist on it, so it's certainly not something that the company can argue is essential to do my job

So, question is, if I refuse could this be grounds for dismissal or disciplinary action.

A quick Google suggests it can't but most of the questions I've read related to using your image externally which falls foul of GDPR rules. This will be just for internal use.

I assume you have a driver’s licence? A passport? Maybe a photo pass for security where you work?

It’s a picture. Just have one taken and bung it on.

It’s a perfectly reasonable request.

[Benny Hilfiger]

Muzzer79 said:

I assume you have a driver’s licence? A passport? Maybe a photo pass for security where you work?

It’s a picture. Just have one taken and bung it on.

It’s a perfectly reasonable request.

All those things are essential (with caveats) and private. Just FYI, I have virtually no social media presence, I don't think there's an easily findable picture of me on the internet. I intend to keep it that way for the rest of my life is possible.

I'm aware to many it's a perfectly reasonable request, that's not what I'm asking. To me its not, question is can it be 'enforced' by my department, is my refusal reasonable grounds for disciplinary action?

[cliffords]

Just say you don't like your own appearance. The picture would make you feel uncomfortable and would be damaging to your mental well-being. They will drop the request and run I promise you.

[bigpriest]

Do colleagues not have video on for Teams Meetings? Sounds strange having a meeting where no one has their camera on and all you can see is profile pictures. Most tend to be polished, processed images where it's hard to tell who anyone is - maybe use one of someone else, no one would notice.

[Scabutz]

It would depend on the wording of your contract but I doubt it fits the definition of gross misconduct so you couldn't easily be dismissed for just that. Of course that's assuming you have over 2 years service, otherwise they can just fire you for no reason and you have no come back unless you can prove it was because of discrimination against a protected characteristic.

However, if someone wants to make a big deal about it they may well start looking at your work and behaviour more closely and may then find something they can fire you for, or start building a case. You're sticking your head above the parapet and attracting attention.

You will have to read the room yourself to know what is likely to happen. I suspect if you refuse you'll probably get your manager pleading with you to hudt do it so HR and everyone else leaves them alone.

[anonymous-user]

Benny Hilfiger said:

I'm aware to many it's a perfectly reasonable request, that's not what I'm asking. To me its not, question is can it be 'enforced' by my department, is my refusal reasonable grounds for disciplinary action?

Haven’t you mostly answered your own question? If many people consider it would be a reasonable request then it’s objectively reasonable. The fact that you, subjectively, don’t like it won’t make a difference.

So the issue is simply what can happen if you refuse reasonable requests.

[Evolved]

The things some people post. Mind boggling.

[bristolbaron]

I’d send them this.

[V1nce Fox]

Had this a year or two ago. It’s really important to me to keep professional and personal life separate so stood my ground. It’s worth noting i was prepared to lose my job over it but employers were ultimately reasonable.

I occasionally have to revisit this with them to ensure no photos from events with me in them make it onto social media but to give them credit theyre always good about it.

Imho it’s not an unreasonable request, OP.

[untakenname]

I don't trust colleagues on Teams which don't have profile pictures, I'll refuse to take a call from anyone internal which doesn't have a profile picture as it was mandated back at the start of the pandemic that all members of staff at work were required to show a profile pic.

What's also annoying is people who have heavily filtered pictures, was looking forward to meeting one colleague irl but it turned out they were around a decade and a few stone heavier than the profile pic suggested.

[Benny Hilfiger]

Thanks Scabutz, that's pretty much how I expect this would play out, an amount of pressure put on but ultimately nothing they could really enforce. If this was company wide I'd feel no choice but to get on board, but it's not, it's a particularly manager's pet project.

I've been there long term (20+ years, 7 in current role), and although obviously not irreplaceable, my record is perfect and I provide skills above the norm for my department. I'm not awkward or difficult to manage. I'm aware this could put a black mark against me but I'm not looking for promotion.

[Benny Hilfiger]

untakenname said:

I don't trust colleagues on Teams which don't have profile pictures, I'll refuse to take a call from anyone internal which doesn't have a profile picture

Its a multinational company, the vast majority don't have pictures. We've got by perfectly fine without them before and after the pandemic.

@Vince Fox, thank you.

[hajaba123]

Post your picture in this thread and set up a poll for Pistonheads to decide?

[Funk]

Benny Hilfiger said:

All those things are essential (with caveats) and private. Just FYI, I have virtually no social media presence, I don't think there's an easily findable picture of me on the internet. I intend to keep it that way for the rest of my life is possible.

I'm aware to many it's a perfectly reasonable request, that's not what I'm asking. To me its not, question is can it be 'enforced' by my department, is my refusal reasonable grounds for disciplinary action?

I'm similar to you; zero social media presence, my LinkedIn is locked right down - if I could get away with not having it at all I would. I've just had to agree to have my name and picture on a registration page for a cybersecurity webinar I'm co-hosting and I'm not particularly happy about it. However other people don't seem to get that I like my privacy and anonymity and the decisions about such things should be mine to make.

[parabolica]

Muzzer79 said:

Benny Hilfiger said:

A few months back my company, well actually not my company but my department, put out a request that we include a profile picture for use on teams, it hasn't been enforced but I'm hearing rumours that it's going to be.

I'm aware this will sound a little pathetic to some but I actually hate having my picture took and I'm very much against this for various personal reasons, I'm prepared to stand my ground and don't care if it affects my future prospects within the company.

I'm pretty sure this isn't in my terms and conditions, except maybe under a reasonable request caveat.

I regularly join teams meetings with colleagues around the world and none of them have pictures, and within my own local branch most departments don't insist on it, so it's certainly not something that the company can argue is essential to do my job

So, question is, if I refuse could this be grounds for dismissal or disciplinary action.

A quick Google suggests it can't but most of the questions I've read related to using your image externally which falls foul of GDPR rules. This will be just for internal use.

I assume you have a driver’s licence? A passport? Maybe a photo pass for security where you work?

It’s a picture. Just have one taken and bung it on.

It’s a perfectly reasonable request.

Yeah I hate having my photo taken too and ended up using my passport photo from a few years ago, which granted looks a bit gormless as a Teams/outlook profile but it got my boss off my back and it’s not too bad tbh.

[The Road Crew]

Try being made to be on TV.... We've had TV cameras in our workplace for the past few months.
Telling the boss I have no interest in being featured didn't go down to well.....i had to keep swearing and messing about being unprofessional in meetings so as to make them give up with me and focus on others!