Best Buy Gone ROWE

http://biz.yahoo.com/special/allbiz120606_article1.html


This article above describes how Best Buy Inc. has come up with a work environment that is not associated with long hours or early mornings. Instead they offer a no clock policy. Going ROWE means results-only work environment. Employees are free to leave whenever they want, work where ever they can, and show up anytime, as long as the work gets done.


I believe with technology moving at the pace it is, and wireless internet becoming almost secondary nature that many jobs are able to be done not in the office. However, the only question I have is how is an employee to know if they are dedicating too much time to non work activities? What is the level of performance that gets you a warning or perhaps even fired?


Without being negative about a company that looks like it is putting it's employee's first, Best Buy has simply upped the bar on employee consideration. Many people who go into the office everyday dread the morning commute and usually takes them about 30 minutes to actually get into a working state. Imagine now that you get to sleep an extra hour, wake up whenever, and log into work.


Our book in chapter 6 talks about creating a motivating work environment. I believe Best Buy has done so with this ROWE program. They are using goals set by Management by Objectives. By letting everyone at headquarters be on ROWE that are creating goals not just at management level but throughout the company at headquarters.  By letting employee's take control over their time, I believe Best Buy Inc. not only will see positive results in the revenue section, but positive effects on people's lives by making work not a hassle to go to but rather something you do.


-Matt Blachowicz