The Results-Only Work Environment, or ROWE, is a way to empower your employees and give them flexibility to do their job on their terms. ROWE was created by Jody Thompson and Cali Ressler, former human resources managers for Best Buy. They tried to find a way to satisfy employees' desires to have more control over their jobs. What they came up with was a workplace philosophy where employees are judged on one thing: whether or not the job is done. In a ROWE workplace, employees dictate when and where they work. As long as they deliver, whatever they decide is fine.
While Results-Only Work Environments may not make sense for all businesses, many companies can tweak ROWE and find a version that works for them. Here are some common concerns about ROWE, and how your business can overcome them:
1. Office Requires a Schedule
If something about the work your business does requires a schedule, the no-rules flexibility of ROWE might be worrying. For example, a housecleaning service can't have its employees coming to clean someone's home at three in the morning, even if that's the best time for the employee. However, one way the hypothetical housecleaning service can use ROWE principles is to allow its employees to organize their own schedules with clients. This way if one employee cleans particularly quickly, they can leave when they're finished, rather than killing time between preset appointments.
2. Employee Motivation
One challenging aspect of a ROWE workplace for the employees is it requires self-motivation. Some people are perfectly capable of working on their own terms, but others may need additional motivation. In a ROWE office, employees can feel like they're not allowed to ask for guidance. However, forcing employees to sink or swim is not what ROWE is all about. One way you can empower employees to self-motivate is to offer optional meetings about organizational tools and motivational methods. It's also good to encourage people to ask for help if they need it. This way, if an employee is struggling, they know they can ask for input. Motivational tools that are used in traditional workplace environments, such as prizes like personalized notepads for exceptional work, also make sense in ROWE workplaces.
3. Harder to Communicate
One advantage of having everyone in the same place at the same time is that it's easy to talk to people. But in the digital age, there are plenty of ways to connect with people other than in person. Set a precedent in your company that people who are working (in or out of the office) will be available online. This way, when someone is working from home or in a coffee shop, it will be just as easy to connect with them as if they were sitting next to you. Sometimes there's a team of employees whose ability to work depends on one another. These employees can coordinate their schedules and availability times with one another, and if they know they won't be online, other means of communication like texts can be used.