I worked in the Surveillance department for about one year. For me, it was a very stressful job and not a good experience.
The job is on rotating shifts, so it's really hard to have a work-life balance. Promotion is also very difficult, and I didn't feel there were many opportunities to grow.
The working environment was not very supportive. Most of the time, everyone was busy with their own work, so you had to figure things out yourself. When there weren't enough staff, you were expected to handle everything on your own with very little guidance.The rules are very strict. Even being one minute late could get you a warning letter. If you made a mistake in a report, you could also receive a warning. This made the job feel very stressful because you were always worried about making mistakes.
If you're thinking about joining the Surveillance department, make sure you really understand what you're signing up for. In my opinion, many of the skills you learn are very specific to this role, so they may not be very useful if you decide to leave the casino industry in the future.
The turnover was also very high. During my one year there, more than eight of my colleagues left. I think that says a lot about the workload and pressure. Another thing to consider is the nature of the job itself. You need to watch CCTV footage for long hours every day, which can be very tiring and mentally exhausting. Staring at multiple screens for an entire shift is not as easy as it sounds. The job also requires you to communicate with many different departments, such as GRAs and Gaming Shift Managers, so it can become stressful, especially during busy periods when you have to handle multiple issues at the same time.
Sometimes, when you asked for help, the answer was just to "follow the SOP." I also felt that some managers made employees feel like they weren't good enough and that only by staying in the company could they really learn. Instead of feeling supported, I often felt discouraged.
This is just my own experience. The job may suit people who like a fast-paced and high-pressure environment, but for me, the stress and lack of work-life balance made it difficult to stay. After working rotating shifts for five years, I felt that my health became much worse. Constantly changing between day and night shifts affected my sleep, energy levels, and overall well-being. It was difficult to maintain a healthy routine, and over time, it really took a toll on both my physical and mental health. If you're someone who doesn't enjoy working nights or changing shifts regularly, this is something you should think about before joining.
