Good points: #1, #2, #3, #4

Terrible ideas: #6, #7

Here is the thing about blocking social networks: you can't. Say you block Facebook on work networks, employees will just use their cell phones to check it. Cell phone networks are slower and therefore your employees are spending more time checking Facebook. Instead of blocking it, create interest in the work that you do so that your employees find their work more interesting than Facebook (should not be that hard).

Blocking personal software installations is downright counter productive. I get that allowing people to install what they want has its drawbacks, but blocking it has far more drawbacks.

1. Employees will feel a lack of trust.
2. They will not be able to use software that may make them more productive (Evernote, Tasks Management, Text Expanders, Browsers other than IE).

The rest of the tips are pretty good especially #2.

How to increase employee productivity.

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