Screaming Penguin - Source Does Matter

Wired has a story about many companies that offer Web filtering and blocking software pushing the 'productivity' blather. Specifically companies like Websense say that since the "Entertainment" of the Internet is right on our desktops at work we must be restrained or we will abuse it and productivity will fall off.

Well personally, while that may be true in some cases, I dont want to work somewhere where they are restraining web usage and calling that an increase in productivity. Pay attention to how much I get done, not whether I surf the net, use the phone, go have a smoke, show up later than 7, leave earlier than 6, etc. All of the pushing the productivity in the face can be counter productive.

Make work a place people ENJOY being and let them be people. Corporate America has caught on to that some in the last decade, largely because of the Internet companies who made casual office clothes, catered lunches and roller hockey popular, but most companies still dont really get it.

Keep a sharp eye on what people produce, promote, praise and compensate based on that. You will have greater productivity and happier employees, its simple.

The employees of a company ARE the company. If they can surf 6 hours a day AND get more all the work expected of them done, and are enjoyable, professional people, then so be it.

Websense and other companies have a useful product when it comes to protecting corporate networks from the 'Sinful Six' (pornography, gambling, illegal activities, hate sites, tasteless material and violent content) because those items pose real legal issues. However, blocking the March Madness crap and slashdot dont count as useful and this is just a ploy by the blocking brethren to sell more filters. (Use SQUID anyway.)

For more info check the linked Wired story.   Filters Block 'Sinful Six' : Wired