Who cares about privacy?

(Spoiler Alert: We do!)

In a digital age, there is a valid concern for privacy, especially when we see news headlines about data leaks and breaches in security it’s understandable.

However on the flip side, there are more personal details and photos online than ever before!

We’ve all put on our holiday, kids or party photos on Facebook or Instagram :) So privacy can be a careful, personal balance on what we’re comfortable sharing with the others.

What is your privacy tolerance?

Our privacy tolerance may have changed over the years, back in 2007 I never liked my photo to be placed on any social media platform!

Now, with society’s engagement in social media, technology advances (better phone cameras and selfie sticks!)

I’ve become more comfortable with it and now enjoy sending my friends with snapchats of me and my princess head bands :)

It’s a big topic that we don’t have all the answers to, however, I did want to raise awareness of it and show what we may sacrifice in privacy for other benefits.

Take mobile phones for example: In our pockets, on our desks, wherever we go, many of us will carry a mobile (cell) phone.

If, like many people, you’ve got your location turned on (which you use for apps like maps, and social accounts), your phone is tracking your location.

It’s something to think about, that people like Google and Facebook are tracking your movements.

At first you may feel, this is creepy, but there are benefits like advanced traffic notifications and route planning that they provide in exchange for your anonymous data.

Even loyalty cards (or apps) everytime you use these, a demographic profile is built up about you, so that more relevant offers can be directed to you.

They get data of what ‘male or female in their early 30’s purchases on a regular basis’ and you get the benefits of relevant offers and discounts.

So if we’re happy which the information we may pass to companies and team members, it’s good to be aware of the benefits we’re getting — and the option to reduce or stop that info.

There is a time for privacy!

We understand that in today’s world, privacy should be in the control of the user/owner.

This is one of the reasons why we want to ensure people have control over their privacy when using an app like PukkaTeam.

But, it also helps displace the feeling that people are being spied on by their team members and are losing their privacy.

This is one biggest hurdles for team owners for getting users on board with using PukkaTeam, something that I understand and can relate to.

When I started working here — around 18 months ago — regular photo selfies made me feel uncomfortable, having my picture taken every few minutes felt like I was being watched, put on display for everyone to see and losing my privacy.

I wasn’t entirely sure I saw the point in using an app like this and felt like I was being spied on one fateful Tuesday afternoon.

I had a problem that I needed to speak to one of my colleagues about.

He works in a different country (remotely), and I’d never personally spoke to them before, the only contact I’d had was the visual presence from PukkaTeam.

Normally, I’d feel reluctant to contact someone I don’t know and haven’t met, let alone ask them for help

However, it wasn’t the case of me feeling uncomfortable when I video called them, I didn’t feel uncomfortable as it felt like I knew them, as I see them everyday, I’d got a real sense of them, almost like I knew them from seeing them everyday, which I had!

This helped in a couple of ways

• Made me feel more attached to people that aren’t in the office.

• Enabled quick conversation without the back and forth of emails.

This helped me to see the value of having Team Presence, easily being able to see someone’s availability and feeling connected to them.

This doesn’t just stop for my remote colleagues! I’ve had situations where other teammates working in the same building (but a different room), that I need to chat about a project.

Instead of walking to them only to find out their not at their desk, it’s easy to glance at PukkaTeam and see if they’re available.

Getting past the hurdle of starting PukkaTeam

I know not everyone can have the same epiphany I did, however, it is natural for some people to feel reluctant or even camera shy, perhaps feeling like they’re being ‘watched’ and that their privacy is being invaded.

But two things help to take advantage of the benefits it offers…

1. We’ve created an app to help you feel that you’re in the office. Just as a team member in the office could glance over at you, PukkaTeam allows the same time of glance.

2. The pixelation feature.

If you’re not keen on your photo being taken

The new pixelated photo shot feature that can help alleviate some of these concerns and get you or your team more comfortable using PukkaTeam.

When your team start up the app, get them to switch on the pixel mode, it still allows you to see if someone is available (at their computer).

From both, you can clearly see if I’m at my computer or not, problem solved. In fact, if you put clothes on a mannequin and put them in front of your webcam, you wouldn’t be able to tell :P

We’re not advocating that this should be used as a permanent solution — but as a way of helping get people onboard and comfortable using PukkaTeam, while still getting the benefits it provides.

You’ll also need to remind your team that this isn’t a monitoring app, it’s a team communication app and a large percentage of communication can be what we see.

PukkaTeam is designed to give your remote team members a presence, and help improve communication and collaboration throughout your team, no matter where they work.

Side note: What we do with the photos

We take privacy very seriously, here, and we know people don’t want their snapshots to be stolen and shared by unscrupulous people.

We do not store old photos. Only the latest photo that was taken which will continuously be overwritten each time you update your photo.

We hope this helps you and your team get the benefits from PukkaTeam. We’re aware that you give a photo but your team gets lots of valuable information on your availability, stress-level and presence.

We’d love to hear how you get your team on board with using PukkaTeam, and remember, if you have problems, let us know what’s holding you back.