If you have “opt-in”, then few people will want to be the ones that stand out, and photos don’t take off.

Instead, if you put up photos by default (from the security passes, etc) and offer an “opt-out”, then peer pressure will discourage people from being amongst the few who don’t have a photo.

It is worth having a photo, so it’s worth getting the process right from the outset.

Wow. I’m glad I don’t work for your company.

Giving the option of opting out is a very nice feature, and says a lot about your culture even if you encourage employees not to take advantage of it.

Issues of vanity, legality or privacy are a moot point.

We have also employed the ID pass capture method. As photos are supplied for use on authority or identification cards, these are uploaded to the directory. Photos are identified by the users unique network login, the simplest and most common identification method outside of an employee ID within an organisation.

In terms of clear guidelines – there’s no need to reinvent the wheel here. Just grab a copy of the Passports Australia guidelines for photos (https://www.passports.gov.au/Web/requirements/Photos.aspx), and you’re set.

Additionally, we put the responsibility for the photo back on the staff. If we’ve sourced a photo from another location (say ID card production) and they don’t like the photo, then the onus is on them to supply a suitable replacement.

I also believe that consistency is important. (E.g., B&W, head and top of shoulders, same background, same half profile). Many of our staff photos are also used for external marketing and so they are consistent but it is difficult with the rest.