ROWE-ing in the Right Direction

Productivity has increased 33%. Employee engagement has risen. Voluntary turnover has dropped. Manager performance has improved. Customer satisfaction is up.

These are the actual results from a groundbreaking concept at Best Buy. Entitled “ROWE”, the “Results Only Work Environment” allows approximately 2,600 corporate employees to work when and how they please. Emphasizing a results orientation over attendance, Best Buy allows program participants to miss meetings, ignore regular office hours, take leave and balance work/life in an unprecedented way. In a wonderful article published by the Employee Benefit Advisor, ROWE inventors Cali Ressler and Jody Thompson describe how current flexible work schedules are “a con game” since those who typically chose such arrangements are “immediately stigmatized” for working outside the corporate norm.

You can’t argue with the results. In fact, Best Buy is so pleased that they feel other organizations may benefit from this approach. Thus, this initiative has emerged as a separate entity entitled CultureRX. A recent recipient of the Workforce Management Optimas Award, CultureRX is launching a “Get to Know ROWE” event at the Mall of America on May 3rd. If you happen to be in Bloomington, Minnesota, I’d suggest you try and attend.

Let’s keep the conversation going.