The Best Buy ROWE (Results Only Work Environment) has a lot of things going for it. Employees want more flexibility, but employers can't afford to lower expectations. In a ROWE—as developed by the authors of Why Work Sucks and How to Fix It—the worker can decide when, where, and how he or she works, so long as the work gets done.
But doesn't the elimination of weekends kind of take it too far? Harvard Business Review contributor Tammy Erickson says mandated days of rest are antiquated:
Let's talk some more about redesigning our organizations—"hacking" the enterprise. Here's another fundamental assumption upon which our organizations are built that I think has got to go: weekends.
No, I'm not arguing that we should all work seven days a week. But I do think that the idea of a corporation telling us which days to work (and when to "rest") is outdated.
It seems to me that commerce is about more than work—it's about forging community ties and sharing responsibilities. Companies that lack collective days of rest lose out on the communal aspects of relaxation and labor—the natural rhythms that drive our gearing up and shifting down. The buildup of anticipation on Fridays and the charged focus of Monday mornings are generally shared experiences that create collaboration in often isolated work environments. Am I wrong?
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jbenson2 of MN 5:58PM July 14, 2008
Dan of NY 5:46PM July 14, 2008
Fatema of MD 1:30PM July 14, 2008