Question #3: Network Monitoring - is it good for company?
My company announced a policy today - it is going to monitor all network traffic and is going to monitor all applications installed on the individual workstations.
It sounded OK. But if I were the head of a company, I would not do so. Why?
Our company is doing software. In my opinion, software quality and productivity are the two most important things. If my team can accomplish both on schedule, they can do whatever they want to do. On the other hand, posing a policy like that can affect morale, and it does not necessary help either software quality or productivity.
Google has a company policy of letting its employee spend 20% of their time doing their own stuff. It reminds me of my own stories when I was in senior high. My mom and teachers did not like me hanging around reading books other than textbooks. For a typical Chinese, students should only read textbooks and should not have too much activities other than reading. I somehow disagree. If you can finish your homework early and you get all A grads in every area, why won't you spend time doing something else, which could eventually benefit you in the end?
I think this typical thinking also limit Chinese achievement. We are not a creative race any longer. We are raised not to have fun. This is so wrong.
Back to my company stuff. If I am going to be a boss, I will set up a project schedule that every party agrees. Once a project is launched, if you can finish early, you can use your free time doing whatever you like, like paid vacation. If you somehow cannot finish your work, I have to do some analysis why you do not achieve the goal you promised. A network monitor can be performed at that time and show if the produtivity is related to network surfing or not. Meanwhile, I will also encourage you to finish your next assignment on time, so you can be like others enjoying their free time. Doesn't it sound more reasonable?
You can do your own thinking...
It sounded OK. But if I were the head of a company, I would not do so. Why?
Our company is doing software. In my opinion, software quality and productivity are the two most important things. If my team can accomplish both on schedule, they can do whatever they want to do. On the other hand, posing a policy like that can affect morale, and it does not necessary help either software quality or productivity.
Google has a company policy of letting its employee spend 20% of their time doing their own stuff. It reminds me of my own stories when I was in senior high. My mom and teachers did not like me hanging around reading books other than textbooks. For a typical Chinese, students should only read textbooks and should not have too much activities other than reading. I somehow disagree. If you can finish your homework early and you get all A grads in every area, why won't you spend time doing something else, which could eventually benefit you in the end?
I think this typical thinking also limit Chinese achievement. We are not a creative race any longer. We are raised not to have fun. This is so wrong.
Back to my company stuff. If I am going to be a boss, I will set up a project schedule that every party agrees. Once a project is launched, if you can finish early, you can use your free time doing whatever you like, like paid vacation. If you somehow cannot finish your work, I have to do some analysis why you do not achieve the goal you promised. A network monitor can be performed at that time and show if the produtivity is related to network surfing or not. Meanwhile, I will also encourage you to finish your next assignment on time, so you can be like others enjoying their free time. Doesn't it sound more reasonable?
You can do your own thinking...
posted by Mark Mao at 10:21 AM
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