What’s a ROWE? Understanding the Results-Only Work Environment

Understanding the Results-Only Work Environment

The biggest workplace revolution since the cubicle might someday make those stuffy little offices obsolete. It’s a whole new way to look at work. Picture this…what if…work weren’t a place that you GO…but it was a thing that you DO. That’s the idea behind the Results-Only Work Environment (ROWE)—a concept originally conceived at Best Buy that has spread to organizations across many industries. It sounds so simple, but it can be a very tricky concept for some of us to wrap our heads around, especially for those that have been in a traditional workplace for a long time. Think about it. We talk about “burning the midnight oil.” We notice which cars are always in the parking lot at the end of the day. We listen to self-proclaimed go-getters brag about their 80-hour workweeks. But … [Read more...]

Results-Only Work Environment

I found an article at BNET.com very interesting.  Separating hours on the job from results has been a boost to productivity in many situations.  Outside of the service based or retail environments, should our productivity be based on hours spend on the job, or on what is accomplished?  Some companies, like Best Buy, have implemented the Results-Only Work Environment or “ROWE,” and finding success.  When I chat with audience members after giving a keynote speech, they tell me about coworkers who spend 10-12 hours a day in the office and get nothing done.  That's because being physically in the office has little to do with productivity.  Some people can be there ten hours a day and get virtually nothing done, while others can accomplish great amounts of work in just a few hours.   Part of … [Read more...]