We’ve got to be upfront here. The endless misunderstanding and misrepresenting of what a Results-Only Work Environment is and is not has caused many a “scream at the screen” moments for us.
We enjoy and are very grateful for everyone who takes time to truly learn about ROWE and help strengthen the movement to change how people work and live. But, there are many journalists, organizational leaders, bloggers, and hard working employees who don’t get it. For those of you, we’ve got love and lessons for you.
ROWE is NOT a Results Oriented Work Environment
ROWE is a Results-Only Work Environment
ROWE is NOT a work from home strategy or flexible wok arrangement
ROWE is about the work. Period.
ROWE is NOT about micro-management or employee anarchy
ROWE is 100% accountability and 100% autonomy for everyone within the organization
ROWE is NOT technical change
ROWE is adaptive change
For an employee in a ROWE, each time they approach their work, they start with the what and the when - what specifically is my desired measurable outcome, and when specifically is it due (accountability). Once those two things are crystal clear, it's time to choose where and when to do the work - a place and time where each person can be their most efficient and effective selves. Employees in a ROWE do not start by showing up to a particular location (corporate office or home office or wherever, doesn't matter) at an arbitrary time, and then think about what work needs to get done. And yes, ROWE teams are highly collaborative. Clients have reported back to us that communication and collaboration increases post transition into a ROWE.
For a ROWE Certified organization, leadership expects employees to make this choice of where and when to work for themselves (autonomy). Managers don't manage people, they manage work. No need for HR to spend endless hours writing policies around who can work from where, and when; or how many days people need to report to the office; or outline what it means to work outside the office. In a ROWE, time and location are tools for getting the work done (and employees are accountable to meet deadlines). Individuals and teams use time and location to serve the customer. They don't let time and location dictate how they will achieve their results.
If you're fed up with technical change labels that do nothing to advance the culture of work; that do nothing to focus the workforce on the customer; that do nothing to empower workers to truly achieve a job well done then, let's start a real conversation about how to get there. Reach out today. We're here to help.