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Workplace privacy and surveillance in Finland: Camera surveillance - Part 3

published on 17 April 2025 | reading time approx. 3 minutes

This final article in our three-part series examines the sensitive issue of camera surveillance in the Finnish workplace. This series has already explored personal data handling (Part I) and email monitoring (Part II). Now, we turn our focus to the conditions under which employers may use camera surveillance, the precautions they must take and the exceptional circumstances that may justify the use of recorded footage.

What purposes can camera surveillance be used for?

In Finland, camera surveillance in the workplace is only permissible for specific purposes. The primary justifications for camera surveillance include:

Ensuring personal safety: Protecting the well-being of employees and others on the premises;
Protecting property: Preventing theft, damage or loss of company assets;
Ensuring production processes: Monitoring essential production activities to maintain operational efficiency;
Preventing or investigating incidents: Addressing safety, property or production risks, including accidents or breaches.

The surveillance cannot be used to monitor specific employees or groups of employees in a direct, personal manner. Additionally, surveillance is prohibited in areas where personal privacy must be respected, such as:

personal offices;
recreation rooms;
changing rooms;
toilets.

Moreover, camera surveillance cannot be used to monitor compliance with labor law obligations, like adhering to working hours, unless specifically authorized by the Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman.

There are exceptions where targeted surveillance may be appropriate, such as:

if there is a real and identifiable threat to an employee's safety or health;
if the employee’s duties involve handling valuable assets, and there is a need to monitor for potential property offenses;
if the employee requests surveillance or agrees to it, particularly when it is to safeguard their interests and rights.

What must employers consider before implementing camera surveillance?

Employers are required to take various factors into account when planning and implementing camera surveillance in the workplace:

Assessing less invasive alternatives: Before introducing camera surveillance, the employer must consider whether less intrusive methods could achieve the same goals;
Consultation with employees: Employers must involve employee representatives in the planning process for camera surveillance and consult with them as required by law;
Transparency and employee notification: Employees must be clearly informed about start of the surveillance, the purpose of the surveillance, where cameras will be placed, about who controls the camera surveillance data, why it is being collected, how it will be used and how long it will be stored (data retention and destruction);
Limiting access to footage: Only designated individuals within the organization should have access to the footage and strict measures should be in place to prevent unauthorized access;
Signage: Visible signs must be posted in areas under surveillance to inform employees about the camera surveillance and its implementation method.

Can employer use camera footage for exceptional purposes?

As a general rule, employers are only allowed to use camera surveillance footage for the purposes for which it was originally collected. However, there are exceptional circumstances under which the employer may use the footage for other purposes. These include:

Termination grounds: If the employer needs to demonstrate a legitimate reason for terminating an employee, the footage may be used as evidence;
Harassment or inappropriate behavior: If there is a justified suspicion that an employee has engaged in harassment or inappropriate behavior, footage can be used to investigate the matter;
Workplace accident: If an occupational accident or other dangerous or threatening situations occur, the employer may review the footage to investigate the event and ensure workplace safety.

Conclusion

Camera surveillance in the workplace is a tool that employers in Finland can use to ensure safety, protect property and maintain operational efficiency. However, this surveillance is subject to strict legal guidelines and employers must ensure that any surveillance implemented is necessary, transparent and minimally invasive. In exceptional cases, employers may use recorded footage to investigate misconduct or workplace incidents, but such use must be justified and comply with the law. By following these guidelines, employers can maintain the right balance between workplace security and employees´ privacy.

DATA PROTECTION BITES

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Author

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Nora Haapala

Associate Partner

+358 40 6655 011

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