It's interesting that almost everyone is saying "ROWE sounds good, but it wouldn't work for us because..."

Remember, it is RESULTS only. It doesn't mean no one is going to be there - it means they're going to be focused on the results over time/location. So if the results require presence (retail, patient care, etc.), they'll be there.

If they're not getting the results, it's a performance issue.

The problem is we have many employees watching the clock and being miserable instead of productive and happy because they are stuck sitting around in a depressing cubicle 40+ hours/week when the results do not require that.

I think ROWE is a good idea for companies if the employees are adults who are willing to show initiative and results driven in this type of work environment. I am an interdependent contractor at this time in my field of work but would welcome the chance to work in this type of environment. My energy levels for work can begin at 6:00 a.m.to 10:00 a.m. and then I would like to take a break and then go back to work as long as I can do it in the comfort of my home.

Sounds great in a perfect world, but since we are not in a perfect world or are not perfect people I don't think this will work. I believe empoloyees would rush through work and make more mistakes than need be. Another way to look at it is start your own business, you're the boss and you can come and go as you please. Yes...oil spill, let's rush and half ??? build off shore oil rigs to pump oil to save time and money, and to fix a mistake could take decades
and cost everyone more money than is printed.
Thank You
Another word for manager: Babysitter

“Do you think a results-only work environment would work at your company? Why or why not?”

I have a full time job as an insurance claims adjuster where I am also responsible for many outside reports and I have a wide variance of responsibilities. This would be a great way for me to balance my work and family. I am not as productive when there is something else I need to be doing or after I've spent 2 hours in traffic and am concerned I was an hour late for work. I hate having to beg to leave early for a three day weekend or schedule a doctor's appointment. Since my responsibilities with this company can be handle at different times and from different locations, this would be wonderful.

On the other hand, I own an income tax preparation service and this would not work there because we have to schedule our staff around peak times, business hours, and fair times to make telephone calls.

Therefore, I think it depends on the business, the staff, and the authority figures, if it would work or not.

“Do you think a results-only work environment would work at your company? Why or why not?”

Simply, no. We are extremely conscious about the corporate culture we've developed at Sunshine Media Group, and a "Glengarry Glen Ross" type of environment would not fit with our corporate identity. As a sales and recruiting profession I am however ultimately judged by the results that I drive for our business and how I personally affect downstream revenue.

I think this is a great idea for the right departments and teams. Tech comes to mind as a good department. However, customer service wouldn't work. Or antyhing that required a lot of team interaction. Sometimes we all need to look at each other to communicate and not just IM or email.

I think this is a great concept - in the right areas. Perhaps sales, IT, graphic design, some of those areas that have a very low "customer service" responsibility and can work independent of a team.
I work in a manufacturing facility, so for the bulk of our work force, this couldn't work. They must meet a production schedule. For our salaried group and management, they need to be here during the hours when they can be of service to those working on a necessary schedule.
Where I would see the biggest issue is in the fact that very few positions can be merited based ONLY on results. There is also a large element of interacting with co-workers, working on a team, etc. There may also be a fairness issue - dealing with the fact that some groups can get away with this arrangement, and others must be present during set times to get their job done.

Do I think ROWF would work for my company? Absolutely NOT! Unfortunately for me, the heaviest work-load burdens are shared by a select few in our small office. The rest of the employees skate by doing what they MUST. We struggle to get 40 hours out of several (and I mean just being here 40 hours, forget an actual 40 hours of work). So, I think a ROWF would be unjust forcing those of us that are already stretched far too thin to be spread even thinner. . .Since I am already in a position where I can't even use my PTO when I need to much less as I want to and I work 60 hours/week and there is always more work waiting in the wings (I did just hire another person after over 2 years of begging and promises but it must get worse before it gets better), I don't see how it is even humanly possible for more:(

Logistically, ROWE would definitely not work for our team members directly involved in the manufacturing aspect of our business. However, I could see its application to some of our support staff: IT, accounting/finance, purchasing, HR, etc.

I think ROWE is a fantastic way of boosting employee morale and engagement, and it can be used as a "perk" for some employees (it works for me!)

I work for a global manufacturer, and I realize it won't work for everyone in my company. I work on global projects so I need the flexibility during the workday to balance work/life since I'm on calls in the early mornings, during the day, and late evenings. ROWE is great for these types of situtations where it's the results that matter--not where/when you're doing the work.

I think that the staff on my team would enjoy this freedom. I even believe some of them may produce the results in order to have the freedom. I do also believe that I need some one here 8-5 to take care of clients who have that expectation of us. It's a great concept, but I'm not sure how I can make the logistics work in my 5 man Team.
-S

Although I would like to be in a ROWE environment, it would not work for our company. We are a sales office with three distinct product lines requiring technical help for all three. There isn't really any overlap of responsibilities as there are less than 30 employees. Our customers are located all across North America, so we have to have people available to handle customer service more than ten hours per day. Our outside sales employees are in a ROWE situation, with responsibility for results only; we could extend it to everyone if we had more duplication of work.

“Do you think a results-only work environment would work at your company? Why or why not?”

As many have mentioned above, I think the concept is great, but it definitely has its limitations (ironically). This concept works well for those who are salaried employees, and who truly do not need to be in the office 5 days a week (i.e. sales, executives, upper level management, etc.). However, there are Federal and State regulations (we are a CA based company) that would be hard to work around for hourly employees. ROWE would also not work for our distribution division, or other divisions, such as HR.

However, I think it could be used as an incentive to continually grow as an employee and make it to that next level in the organization, so that even if your pay did not dramatically increase, you truly could have more control over your work/home life balance.

It is not something that could be quickly/easily implemented, but I believe that Best Buy is a company that has successfully implemented the ROWE concept for many corporate level employees. It is a great "out of the box" level of thinking.

I really am always open to hearing new and innovative ideas. I work in health care and we have guidelines for staffing but I have been an advocate for staff doing their own scheduling per unit. The idea of giving autonomy to staff can be a positive thing! I would really have to see more information on the ROWE program to determine if appropriate for our facility.

Our company is clse to this environment now when the employees are in town. However we do project work for other companies so defining your own time would not always be possible. I do think our company with the exception of time out of the office could easily adapt this model.

We are using ROWE - although we never called it that! We treat all our colleagues as adults and they all manage their own time. We have no handbook. We have no time clock. All but one of our people work from a home office or on client sites. We do not track how much time is spent in either place (except for billing purposes.) Our turnover is basically zero in the last several years - not just in HR District Office, but in Higbee Associates as a whole. (We do have a part-time administrative person who may eventually leave for a full-time role, but even that hasn't happened yet.)

It works for us because we are a provider of services and if we don't bring in business, no one makes money. Everyone is paid based on what they bring in to the company and the time they put into contracts that others bring in. I can think of a lot of environments - as you can see above in others' comments - where it would simply not work.

I work for a results company and our turn-over is off the charts. Management barely last 2 years at any job-site. While the VP looks great with the numbers (in Profit) it is on the backs of everyone below him. They beat us with the stick that is suppose to have a carrot on it. They set unreal goals without our buy-in or opinion. We can win branch of the month but instead of it being an award it is the pillar to the altar of sacrifice. I read someone else's comment that it separates the men from the boys, well it also separates some very good members from the team that get tired of negativity.

While this sounds like a good concept, it would not work in our organization, since both the manufacturing side of our business as well as the customer service offered to our clients would suffer. There are various manufacturing departments and each produce a part of an engine and the final unit cannot be completed as scheduled if one department needs to wait for another to complete its part. Additionally, once orders are placed by our customers (some in different time zones throughout the world) they need to be able to contact a sales person or customer service representative to process their orders and answer their questions. The outcome would be that the "results" in the concept of Results-Only Work Environment would be greatly diminished.

I love the concept! Unfortunately, I don't think it would work in our business, which is retail. We might be able to use it for back-office/administractive functions, but I believe there has to be some face time in order to foster teamwork.

This approach will not work for organizations whose purpose is to serve the public sector. In a medical care setting there are customers with immediate needs and demands. If you are to serve patients and families there has to be structure to ensure adequate staff are available for their well being and safety. There are ways to create a more functional and enjoyable work place through teamwork, dedication and taking ownership in the company for which you work.

On the surface this appears to be a creative way to bridge the gap between generations and work place expectations. I do not believe that it would work in all departments of our organization. For example, manufacturing requires a certain number of employees to be present at the same time to achieve production. There are other departments within the organization that may be able to experiment with this type of environment. The accounting department for example, may be able to take advantage of the flexibility of ROWE while maintaining performance expectations. The time required to achieve this type of culture would be significant and must start at the top with upper management respecting individuals fully based on performance vs. face time.

I am not opposed to this idea, but I don't see it working for our organization. Our work product requires multiple people collaborating. We use flextime to allow as much control on time as possible, but we require core hours so people can have an expectation of when they can get their collaboration time in.

Would a ROWE work in your company?

I think no, there are just too many areas where we need to work as a team, and need full participation from all areas. The most obvious of these is production, of course. But even design, marketing, and others require a collaborative environment that doesn't work well if one or more team members are absent. Not to mention the fact that we need to have someone available for our customers when they're open. If everyone chose to go the the grocery store at 10 am on Tuesday, who would be there to help the customer?

Yes! Thinking outside the box is what keeps America growing. Our company definitely can use this type of environment. Clear communication of expectations, work requirements, and deadlines that do exist are necessary. Employees who feel less stress from outside influences are more creative and dedicated to their career. The word "job" just doesn't fit anymore. Clear and consistent communication regarding the company's status is a definite need.

No, it would not work at my agency. We are a non-profit funded by federal and state grants that need proof of hours worked that need to mirror the budget. The Department of Labor would also find this an interesting model because they have rules on the amount of hours worked before overtime must be paid out. For results, some employees may have to put in overtime and they may be not be exempt from the fair labor standards act. On the other hand,I think many people would enjoy this concept if rules and laws could be changed. Working set amounts of hours is really not about results, but about doing something because it is supposed to be done this way. If people could be more tied to the outcome of their work then more people would be happier with their careers. Its a great idea whose time may come down the road.

As much as this is a great concept it would not work in our organization. I am not sure what type of organization would be able to entertain this type of policy and thrive as a business. In the Manufacturing industry we need to have scheduled hours to work on machines and get them built on time. If we took on the ROWE idea it would take machines longer to be built costing the company more time and money because we would not know who would be here to do the work or when.

It sounds fantastic and I would love to be able to do it! But, I think that we (Americans) are used to a certain mindset in the workplace and that is the harder (usually more hours) you work the better employee you are. It would be hard to change that mindset in all of your employees and this could in turn create some resentment. I also agree with the said issue of the lack of colloboration and teamwork. Which, in my opinion, are the most important facets in a successful company.

We work and function in a team environment and need each other to get the job done. It would not work for us to have employees coming and going as they please. Our company has thrived in a bureaucratic environment and is not looking to change its structure.

I do believe this is a great concept! I watched a special on some of the best places to work, and a couple of them used this practice. In a lot of environments, I believe this could work, and would be very productive. Unfortunatly, working at a hospital, this method would not work for us. We have patients around the clock, 7 days a week, and need to have coverage around the clock. Now, for our non clincal departments, this would work quite well. However, I don't believe our clincal departments would funtion to well. I do believe it is a great concept though, and would really show the people who want to work, and want to be productive, and not just a day off.

We are a manufacturing company, ROWE would not work for those Associates making products on the floor. We work 3 shifts and the focus for us is on the flow of work through the process and throughput. We have quarterly bonuses that are some incentive to move work through. We also have adopted a culture that links freedom and flexibility with accountability and responsibility. This is based on trust and a lot of cross training throughout the facility. This seems to work the best for our company. Thanks!

WOW this is a great concept. I see some major advantages and disadvantages. Being in a sales role i firmly believe in the ability to come and go as you please, as long as you are hitting your numbers and making your sales. The flexibility to manage your time as you need would create less stress in a job and in life. In turn this makes you more productive. More productive means more money, and money is always the bottom line. On the other hand people feed off each others ideas and energy, if your the only one in the office who is there to feed off of? In addition some roles need to be done between 8-5, for example B2B collections. No point in calling a company when they are closed. However a computer programmer can write code whenever he/she wants. I like this idea but don’t think it works on levels of an organization.

“Do you think a results-only work environment would work at your company? Why or why not?”

This would NOT be a good environment at ANY company! While everyone loves positive results it's not the only way to measure the success of a company, department or employee. Ever heard the expression "Rome wasn't built in a day"? Well that's the same thing with innovation and implementing new ideas. Depending on what industry you are in it could take several months or even quarters to see the results new ideas have created.

All the little pieces that make something a success are not always quantitative. Even if a great brainstorming session with your fellow employees brings about great ideas you may find that when put into motion they don't yield the results you want.

Sure you can measure "results" and be orientated around your findings. Do your meetings result in collaboration and team work? Yes! Do they build a sense of project ownership by all involved? Yes! Can you measure in numbers and $$$ how successful each idea is immediately out of the gate or evening a few months down the road? Maybe? Bottom line is having employees engaged and working well together to generate new ideas! Get that ball rolling and I guarantee you'll see results!

It's interesting that almost everyone is saying "ROWE sounds good, but it wouldn't work for us because..."

Remember, it is RESULTS only. It doesn't mean no one is going to be there - it means they're going to be focused on the results over time/location. So if the results require presence (retail, patient care, etc.), they'll be there.

If they're not getting the results, it's a performance issue.

The problem is we have many employees watching the clock and being miserable instead of productive and happy because they are stuck sitting around in a depressing cubicle 40+ hours/week when the results do not require that.

I think ROWE is a good idea for companies if the employees are adults who are willing to show initiative and results driven in this type of work environment. I am an interdependent contractor at this time in my field of work but would welcome the chance to work in this type of environment. My energy levels for work can begin at 6:00 a.m.to 10:00 a.m. and then I would like to take a break and then go back to work as long as I can do it in the comfort of my home.

Sounds great in a perfect world, but since we are not in a perfect world or are not perfect people I don't think this will work. I believe empoloyees would rush through work and make more mistakes than need be. Another way to look at it is start your own business, you're the boss and you can come and go as you please. Yes...oil spill, let's rush and half ??? build off shore oil rigs to pump oil to save time and money, and to fix a mistake could take decades
and cost everyone more money than is printed.
Thank You
Another word for manager: Babysitter

“Do you think a results-only work environment would work at your company? Why or why not?”

I have a full time job as an insurance claims adjuster where I am also responsible for many outside reports and I have a wide variance of responsibilities. This would be a great way for me to balance my work and family. I am not as productive when there is something else I need to be doing or after I've spent 2 hours in traffic and am concerned I was an hour late for work. I hate having to beg to leave early for a three day weekend or schedule a doctor's appointment. Since my responsibilities with this company can be handle at different times and from different locations, this would be wonderful.

On the other hand, I own an income tax preparation service and this would not work there because we have to schedule our staff around peak times, business hours, and fair times to make telephone calls.

Therefore, I think it depends on the business, the staff, and the authority figures, if it would work or not.

“Do you think a results-only work environment would work at your company? Why or why not?”

Simply, no. We are extremely conscious about the corporate culture we've developed at Sunshine Media Group, and a "Glengarry Glen Ross" type of environment would not fit with our corporate identity. As a sales and recruiting profession I am however ultimately judged by the results that I drive for our business and how I personally affect downstream revenue.

Absolutely yes! I would love for any employer to allow flexibility in the work place. As a recent graduate who is entering the workforce for the first time, I see how much stress people are under in the workplace. Flexibility in the workplace creates breathing room! However, some workplaces like hospitals for example wouldn't be able to utilize this considering their job is more demanding.

I think this is a great idea for the right departments and teams. Tech comes to mind as a good department. However, customer service wouldn't work. Or antyhing that required a lot of team interaction. Sometimes we all need to look at each other to communicate and not just IM or email.

I think this is a great concept - in the right areas. Perhaps sales, IT, graphic design, some of those areas that have a very low "customer service" responsibility and can work independent of a team.
I work in a manufacturing facility, so for the bulk of our work force, this couldn't work. They must meet a production schedule. For our salaried group and management, they need to be here during the hours when they can be of service to those working on a necessary schedule.
Where I would see the biggest issue is in the fact that very few positions can be merited based ONLY on results. There is also a large element of interacting with co-workers, working on a team, etc. There may also be a fairness issue - dealing with the fact that some groups can get away with this arrangement, and others must be present during set times to get their job done.

Do I think ROWF would work for my company? Absolutely NOT! Unfortunately for me, the heaviest work-load burdens are shared by a select few in our small office. The rest of the employees skate by doing what they MUST. We struggle to get 40 hours out of several (and I mean just being here 40 hours, forget an actual 40 hours of work). So, I think a ROWF would be unjust forcing those of us that are already stretched far too thin to be spread even thinner. . .Since I am already in a position where I can't even use my PTO when I need to much less as I want to and I work 60 hours/week and there is always more work waiting in the wings (I did just hire another person after over 2 years of begging and promises but it must get worse before it gets better), I don't see how it is even humanly possible for more:(

Logistically, ROWE would definitely not work for our team members directly involved in the manufacturing aspect of our business. However, I could see its application to some of our support staff: IT, accounting/finance, purchasing, HR, etc.

I think ROWE is a fantastic way of boosting employee morale and engagement, and it can be used as a "perk" for some employees (it works for me!)

I work for a global manufacturer, and I realize it won't work for everyone in my company. I work on global projects so I need the flexibility during the workday to balance work/life since I'm on calls in the early mornings, during the day, and late evenings. ROWE is great for these types of situtations where it's the results that matter--not where/when you're doing the work.

We are a printing company, and ROWE would not work for those employees on our production floor. The ROWE would interrupt the production process. Our workflow determines whether we meet deadlines and WOW our customers. We are tied to accountability and responsibility. I beleive ROWE would work better in a retail environment than a manufacturing environment. It's a good concept for companies without strict production deadlines.

I think that the staff on my team would enjoy this freedom. I even believe some of them may produce the results in order to have the freedom. I do also believe that I need some one here 8-5 to take care of clients who have that expectation of us. It's a great concept, but I'm not sure how I can make the logistics work in my 5 man Team.
-S

This would not work in the community where I have my Liberty Tax store because those people whom I have hired are looking for something for nothing and rather than only being paid for their completed tasks.

When I told my star preparer that I wanted her to study on her own time to learn more and be compensated a set amount for each tax return completed during the slow part of the season, she quit saying, in effect, "if you aren't going to pay me for sitting around and doing nothing, then I would rather earn nothing than earn a little".

Although I would like to be in a ROWE environment, it would not work for our company. We are a sales office with three distinct product lines requiring technical help for all three. There isn't really any overlap of responsibilities as there are less than 30 employees. Our customers are located all across North America, so we have to have people available to handle customer service more than ten hours per day. Our outside sales employees are in a ROWE situation, with responsibility for results only; we could extend it to everyone if we had more duplication of work.

“Do you think a results-only work environment would work at your company? Why or why not?”

As many have mentioned above, I think the concept is great, but it definitely has its limitations (ironically). This concept works well for those who are salaried employees, and who truly do not need to be in the office 5 days a week (i.e. sales, executives, upper level management, etc.). However, there are Federal and State regulations (we are a CA based company) that would be hard to work around for hourly employees. ROWE would also not work for our distribution division, or other divisions, such as HR.

However, I think it could be used as an incentive to continually grow as an employee and make it to that next level in the organization, so that even if your pay did not dramatically increase, you truly could have more control over your work/home life balance.

It is not something that could be quickly/easily implemented, but I believe that Best Buy is a company that has successfully implemented the ROWE concept for many corporate level employees. It is a great "out of the box" level of thinking.

ROWE would definitely not work in our manufacturing environment. Often a project arises or changes to a 'hot' status and we need every available body to get it completed and out the door. People are always helping out in whatever capacity they are needed and I wouldn't change that for anything.

I really am always open to hearing new and innovative ideas. I work in health care and we have guidelines for staffing but I have been an advocate for staff doing their own scheduling per unit. The idea of giving autonomy to staff can be a positive thing! I would really have to see more information on the ROWE program to determine if appropriate for our facility.