--- title: TWIN CITIES BUSINESS OP ED - WILL SOMEBODY KILL THE WATER COOLER, ONCE AND FOR ALL? description: "“According to an American Productivity Audit in this Harvard Business Review study, At Work But Out of It, the cost of lost productivity due to presenteeism exceeds $150 billion dollars annually.\n\nWe need to stop believing that what happens around the water cooler is a necessary part of work culture and instead focus our collective efforts on getting clear about the actual work and holding people accountable for measurable results, while giving people autonomy to choose the most efficient and effective means to get their work done.”" image: https://www.gorowe.com/hubfs/dreamstime_xs_170681194.jpg --- [Skip to content](https://www.gorowe.com/rowe-blog/twin-cities-business-op-ed-will-somebody-kill-the-water-cooler-once-and-for-all#main-content) [![CRX Logo Outline Orange](https://www.gorowe.com/hubfs/CRX%20Logo%20Outline%20Orange.svg)](https://www.gorowe.com/) - [Services](https://www.gorowe.com/services/go-rowe) Show submenu for Services - [GoROWE](https://www.gorowe.com/services/go-rowe) - [ROWE Pilot](https://www.gorowe.com/services/rowe-pilot) - [Our Story](https://www.gorowe.com/culturerx-story) Show submenu for Our Story - [Our Story](https://www.gorowe.com/culturerx-story) - [Press](https://www.gorowe.com/rowe-blog/tag/press) - [Speaking](https://www.gorowe.com/speaking) - [Business Results](https://www.gorowe.com/rowe-business-results) Show submenu for Business Results - [Business Results](https://www.gorowe.com/rowe-business-results) - [Case Studies](https://www.gorowe.com/case-studies) - [HR Success Guide](https://www.gorowe.com/hr-and-rowe-guide-for-success) - [Not ROWE](https://www.gorowe.com/not-rowe) Show submenu for Not ROWE - [Organizational Challenges](https://www.gorowe.com/revolutionizing-work-culture) - [Blog](https://www.gorowe.com/rowe-blog) Open main navigation Close main navigation - [Services](https://www.gorowe.com/services/go-rowe) Show submenu for Services - [GoROWE](https://www.gorowe.com/services/go-rowe) - [ROWE Pilot](https://www.gorowe.com/services/rowe-pilot) - [Our Story](https://www.gorowe.com/culturerx-story) Show submenu for Our Story - [Our Story](https://www.gorowe.com/culturerx-story) - [Press](https://www.gorowe.com/rowe-blog/tag/press) - [Speaking](https://www.gorowe.com/speaking) - [Business Results](https://www.gorowe.com/rowe-business-results) Show submenu for Business Results - [Business Results](https://www.gorowe.com/rowe-business-results) - [Case Studies](https://www.gorowe.com/case-studies) - [HR Success Guide](https://www.gorowe.com/hr-and-rowe-guide-for-success) - [Not ROWE](https://www.gorowe.com/not-rowe) Show submenu for Not ROWE - [Organizational Challenges](https://www.gorowe.com/revolutionizing-work-culture) - [Blog](https://www.gorowe.com/rowe-blog) - [Contact us](https://www.gorowe.com/contact-culturerx) [Contact us](https://www.gorowe.com/contact-culturerx) ![](https://www.gorowe.com/hubfs/dreamstime_xs_170681194.jpg) August 28, 2020 # TWIN CITIES BUSINESS OP ED - WILL SOMEBODY KILL THE WATER COOLER, ONCE AND FOR ALL? “According to an American Productivity Audit in this Harvard Business Review study, [At Work But Out of It](https://hbr.org/2004/10/presenteeism-at-work-but-out-of-it), the cost of lost productivity due to presenteeism exceeds $150 billion dollars annually. We need to stop believing that what happens around the water cooler is a necessary part of work culture and instead focus our collective efforts on getting clear about the actual work and holding people accountable for measurable results, while giving people autonomy to choose the most efficient and effective means to get their work done.” [Read full article here.](https://tcbmag.com/will-somebody-kill-the-water-cooler-once-and-for-all/) [Press](https://www.gorowe.com/rowe-blog/tag/press) [facebook-f icon](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://www.gorowe.com/rowe-blog/twin-cities-business-op-ed-will-somebody-kill-the-water-cooler-once-and-for-all) [linkedin-in icon](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.gorowe.com/rowe-blog/twin-cities-business-op-ed-will-somebody-kill-the-water-cooler-once-and-for-all) [twitter icon](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://www.gorowe.com/rowe-blog/twin-cities-business-op-ed-will-somebody-kill-the-water-cooler-once-and-for-all) [pinterest-p icon](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?url=https://www.gorowe.com/rowe-blog/twin-cities-business-op-ed-will-somebody-kill-the-water-cooler-once-and-for-all) [envelope icon](mailto:?body=https://www.gorowe.com/rowe-blog/twin-cities-business-op-ed-will-somebody-kill-the-water-cooler-once-and-for-all) [PREVIOUS](https://www.gorowe.com/rowe-blog/new-york-times-the-office-will-never-be-the-same) #### [NEW YORK TIMES - “THE OFFICE WILL NEVER BE THE SAME”](https://www.gorowe.com/rowe-blog/new-york-times-the-office-will-never-be-the-same) [NEXT](https://www.gorowe.com/rowe-blog/2020/8/29/engage-life-amp-work) #### [Engage Life & Work](https://www.gorowe.com/rowe-blog/2020/8/29/engage-life-amp-work) ![](https://www.gorowe.com/hubfs/line_footer.png) [![CRX Logo Outline Orange](https://www.gorowe.com/hubfs/CRX%20Logo%20Outline%20Orange.svg)](https://www.gorowe.com/) ## [Services](https://www.gorowe.com/services/go-rowe) - [GoROWE](https://www.gorowe.com/services/go-rowe) - [ROWE Pilot](https://www.gorowe.com/services/rowe-pilot) ## [Our Story](https://www.gorowe.com/culturerx-story) - [Our Story](https://www.gorowe.com/culturerx-story) - [Speaking](https://www.gorowe.com/speaking) ## [Business Results](https://www.gorowe.com/rowe-business-results) - [Business Results](https://www.gorowe.com/rowe-business-results) - [Case Studies](https://www.gorowe.com/case-studies) ## [Not ROWE](https://www.gorowe.com/not-rowe) ## [Blog](https://www.gorowe.com/rowe-blog) - [![](https://www.gorowe.com/hubfs/linkedin%20(1).png)](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jody-thompson-48a5827/) - [![](https://www.gorowe.com/hubfs/gorjeo.png)](https://twitter.com/jodyrowe?lang=en) - [![](https://www.gorowe.com/hubfs/simbolo-de-la-aplicacion-de-facebook.png)](https://www.facebook.com/ResultsOnlyWorkEnvironment/) [Contact Us](https://www.gorowe.com/contact-culturerx) All images © Copyright 2026, All Rights Reserved. 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