Or they’re a tool to give the employee some quantifiable and measurable areas they need to improve on. This way both sides are clear of expectations and there’s no surprises.
Not all bosses suck. I’ve had to put a few people on them and they’ve helped, never had to fire someone afterwards.
I use a separate power supply mounted underneath my desk to drive it, so the presence on top of my desk is minimal. They have some rated for lower amps if you want to save a bit of money.